Darkest Days
by Angie-san
Summary: Semi-fantasy AU, Kenshin/Kaoru. Circumstances beyond their control bring them together, but neither one expected to fall so deeply for the other. Nor did they foresee the cruel twist of fate that would ruthlessly tear them apart again. Complete.
1. The First Step into Darkness

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Hi all. I'm back… for good this time. Well at least until I finish this story. Anyway, this particular idea has been kicking around in my head and even been partially started on my computer for the past three years or so. I was originally thinking of pursuing this as an original work but decided I liked it better featuring Kenshin and Kaoru. It is a semi-fantasy based adventure/ drama/ romance that I intend to do my best to make as believable as possible. I know fantasy isn't all that popular in this fandom but the muse is determined to pursue this so I honestly have no choice.

And once again, I must thank my beta, MelyCat, for her excellent additions and corrections.

* * *

Chapter 1 - The First Step into Darkness

June 20, 1623. 25 miles north of Toyama.

A pathetic wail, like the one that had first drawn the lone traveler's attention, pierced the eerily silent forest again as he hastily continued to cleave a path with his sword. The dense underbrush stubbornly full of prickers and low vines reluctantly gave way beneath his blade. Frowning he glanced up, eyes briefly searching the dark clouds visible through the foliage above. Rain that had been threatening most of the morning had begun to fall in earnest and the man attacked the clinging bushes with renewed vigor in an effort to find the child before the worst of the storm hit.

Another pitiful cry came, weaker this time, but thankfully much closer. The traveler continued to hack and slash a path towards the sound. Relief filled him when several swings later he finally broke through the bushes and stumbled into a small clearing, enclosed on three sides by the forest he'd just cut his way through.

And there, in front of a smooth stone wall directly across from him lay the ashen, unmoving body of a young, red-haired woman. Beside her the child he'd been searching for, weakly kicking the air as the cool rain continued to fall. The cord that had once fed the newborn babe still attaching him to his dead mother.

In two strides the traveler was beside the pair and he knelt down to severe the link between mother and child. Swinging his pack off his shoulder, he quickly dug out a worn kimono and lifted the child, quickly dabbing at the deep cut running down the babe's cheek. After a cursory glance to see if it was infected he deemed the cut clean enough for now and wrapped the still crying baby in the dry cloth.

Almost immediately the child quieted and traveler set him down long enough to fish out his waterproof cloak, swinging the garment over his shoulders. Collecting the infant to his chest again, he grabbed his pack and, with one last look to the newborn's mother, headed back the way he had come.

He remembered passing a small farm about six miles back down the road. Maybe they would be kind enough to take the babe in, or at least keep him until another family was found who could raise the orphaned child.

Yet, after the traveler had delivered the child to the family and left to continue his journey he would have no memory of ever being in the cursed wood or of the wounded newborn babe he had saved at the base of the Dragon God's stone-face prison. A memory washed away as quickly as his footsteps in the downpour of the following storm.

* * *

June 26 1633. 200 miles southeast of Toyama

Aged feet shuffled along the moonlit path cutting through another of the many tiny, no-named villages the wizened old woman had already passed through. Her pace was slow but steady as she moved silently between the handful of darkened, ghostly looking huts. Aching bones that had already seen too many winters protested the unerring call that had drawn her from her own humble home a fortnight before, but she could not stop herself from following. Even now with her strength failing she could not stop. Something was about to happen and she was meant to be there.

The loud wail of a newborn babe abruptly split the silent night and a papery sigh spilled from the grandmother's chapped lips as the need to continue on ceased. Hobbling towards the sound she rounded a darkened hut to find another lit by an unearthly blue light. Another cry came from healthy lungs and the old woman quickened her pace, the weariness in her aged body fading under urgency as the sounds of chaos suddenly erupted from within. A moment later the woven door was thrust aside and a man, tall in stature, stumbled from the hut with a crying bundle in his arms. In his left fist a lethal looking blade was clenched, poised over the child's chest. A single word she could not decipher spilled from his lips as he lifted the blade higher to strike.

True horror struck deep into the old woman's heart, and with strength and speed she didn't know she still possessed, she closed the distance between them and struck the man a stunning blow to the head with her clenched fist. The blade clattered to the ground as he stumbled to the side and the grandmother took immediate advantage, wrenching the now screaming infant from his arms.

Wild, frantic eyes nailed her with a look of fear and hate so frightening that it chilled her to the very bone. For a split second the old woman was sure he would kill them both but a pain filled scream from the now darkened hut tore the silence of the night, shattering the tension that charged the very air. With one last glare the man shot back inside. The wizened old woman wasted no time; quickly she retraced her footsteps out of the village and towards her secluded mountain home. She had found what she sought, now she must protect it for as long as she was able.

She was well outside the village and on her way back home by the time she decided it was safe to check the now silent child. Slightly trembling hands pulled the blanket away from the newborn babe's face and she immediately stumbled to a stop as her eyes met the crystal clear deep blue eyes staring back at her from beneath a shock of black hair. Further inspection of the child to determine the sex made her heart stutter in her chest before it began pounding madly.

A girl child.

With deep blue eyes.

It was then she finally understood why she had been called. With a shaking hand she placed her palm on the child's forehead and whispered the age old incantation she had been taught as an adolescent. For now the infant would be safest with her in the mountains but should anything happen to her before the girl was of age the spell would call those who could also protect her from those who will hunt her. Now all she could hope is that none save herself and the birth parents, who likely be too terrified to speak of this night, ever know of the child's existence.

But little did she know the effect the little girl's birth would have on the scar of a ten year old boy several miles further south in the small mountain village of Jouden. For the briefest of moments his scar bled as if freshly made before it sealed up again, leaving behind nothing but unanswerable questions that were soon forgotten.

* * *

September 14, 1651. 60 miles south of Kiyosu. (~300 miles southwest of Toyama)

A light breeze wafted through the open window as a lone cloud skittered across the moon, momentarily darkening the courtyard below. With a tired sigh, Yukishiro Tomoe turned from the sight of the two girls preparing for their departure below and walked on silent feet to the desk against the far wall of her private study. Sliding open the lone drawer on the right, she carefully withdrew the last gift she could bestow upon them. Her eyes studied the items thoughtfully, justifying to herself the need for what she was about to do. Resolution firmed her jaw as she turned, leaving the room and made her way through the empty halls to the ground floor and out into the moonlit yard.

Pausing for a moment just outside the door, she smiled sadly. They were still so young for what was to come. Too young. But unfortunately she had no other choice. Kanryuu had forced their hand by attacking those who had stripped him of his power and now these two young women were being thrust into a battle not their own. One that could very well get them killed if they weren't careful.

A flash of anger spilled through her veins at the untimely turn of events and Tomoe did her best to ignore it as she eyed the smaller of the two. She couldn't help but feel at least a small measure of relieved satisfaction with the way the sole remaining Makimachi had grown. Misao would be fine, that she knew without a doubt.

But Kaoru…

Tomoe exhaled softly and let her attention drift to the other raven-haired young woman securing the last of her saddlebags onto her mount. In the craft, Kaoru was just as strong as Misao, if not more so. But unbeknownst to her young ward, she was also the first of her kind to be born in almost a thousand years. And because of that, there was still so much more she had hoped to teach Kaoru. So many things to explain to her before she faced the world beyond the shield, but now, thanks to Kanryuu, there was no time.

With a weary sigh, she shook her head. Maybe Kaoru's lack of knowledge would be better in the end anyway. At least for now. Thankfully only Tomoe herself and a handful of other trusted mages knew of Kaoru's true lineage. And all those who knew silently hoped and prayed that it was simply a coincidence that Kaoru had been born with blue eyes; when no other female child had for the last one thousand years. Even she, who had been tasked to raise the child since she'd been found abandoned at the age of three, hoped with all of her heart that Kaoru's birth did not have some other meaning.

Tomoe repressed the shiver that threatened to run through her frame at the thought. There was only one reason an Ancient would be needed again in their world. And despite the portent that Kaoru's birth might imply, Tomoe knew without a doubt that the prison holding the dragon god captive still remained intact. She herself, along with those few she trusted, had gone to check and had found no evidence that the seal had been tampered with or weakened in any way. The only thing they'd found out of place were the bleached bones of what looked like a young woman who had seemingly died at the foot of the sealed stone gate holding Ryuujin within.

A soft nickering from the courtyard roused Tomoe from her thoughts and she shook off the small seed of trepidation tugging at the back of her mind. There was no use worrying about something like that right now when the girls faced a much more real danger. One that she desperately hoped she and the rest would be able to stop before it reached these two.

Stifling a bone weary sigh, Tomoe put on the best smile she could and finally continued making her way down the steps and into the moonlit courtyard.

Upon seeing her, Misao excitedly shouted, "Sensei!" as she finished with the last of her saddlebags before spinning around to greet her.

Still busy with her own gear Kaoru glanced over her shoulder at the call and Tomoe's smile softened at the bright grin her ward gave her. "We're almost ready, Tomoe-sama. How long do you think it will take us to get to the keep?"

"You should arrive by midnight tomorrow night if you keep a steady pace. And remember don't stop for anything or anyone. No one must know where you are bound." Tomoe cautioned, as she came to a stop before the two girls. "Gensai-sensei will be waiting for you at the side gate of the keep to bring you in."

A shadow passed over both of their faces and with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes Kaoru cinched the belt holding her last bundle and asked, "Why all the secrecy, Tomoe-sama? Is there some reason why we can't be seen? I know it's not normal for craft users to be guardians but it's not unheard of."

Tomoe gave her favorite student a weary smile as Kaoru turned to face her.

"If our enemy learned you two are craft users and came, he would come prepared even more so. At this time none of us here can help you, so the less who know about you the better." She admitted softly, her gaze on them solemn. Although, if her plan worked he wouldn't be coming. But she wouldn't tell them that and give them false hope. They needed to be on guard in case the worst came to pass, that Kanryuu somehow evaded their strike.

Another cloud passed over the moon as Kaoru and Misao silently regarded her, their usually cheerful faces heavily shadowed with worry and even a small amount of fear. It hurt Tomoe's heart to see them like this, to know that their days of naivety were at an end. But it was inevitable and at least it looked like they had finally realized that the journey they were about to set out on was not going to be anything like the practice sessions here within the manor. What they faced out there was far more real… and dangerous. And now they knew they would be facing it virtually alone.

The silence continued to stretch for another moment or two before Misao murmured, "Tomoe-sama…?"

The deceptively calm tone of her voice caught Tomoe off guard and she cautiously eyed the normally energetic teen, waiting for whatever it was she had to say.

"Who exactly is our enemy?"

Tomoe inwardly winced and exhaled softly. This had been the one question she'd been expecting… but dreaded most, especially where her youngest mage was concerned. Misao wasn't going to take this news well. However it would be careless to not forewarn them should he manage another attack on the two remaining members of the Takeshi family.

Steeling herself for the reaction she knew would come, Tomoe looked Misao straight in the eye and said, "Takeda Kanryuu."

Misao recoiled from the name as if she'd been physically struck; the look of utter fear and hate twisting her young face hit Tomoe like a fist. Misao had lost her entire family to him already and it grieved her to have to pit the young mage against him. But there was nothing she could do otherwise.

"You cannot let the past color what you have to do now." She admonished sternly, before Misao could recover, retaining the somber façade over her own jumbled emotions. "Your sole duty is to make sure those two girls are kept safe and away from him. If he gets his hands on them he will-"

Tomoe caught herself and stopped before she could frighten the girls anymore than they already were. That was a piece of information they didn't need to know.

"He will what?" Kaoru pressed, the steel in her eyes demanding an answer. Eyes that had been bespelled to appear green now appeared dark with resolve in the silvery moonlight.

Immune to the glare, Tomoe simply shook her head. "It doesn't matter. What does is the fact that if he comes to the keep you two have to keep those girls safe at all costs. Focus on that alone" And before either of them could reply again she said, "It is time for you to go. If we delay much longer you won't be able to make the keep in good time"

Kaoru scowled deeply at the dismissal, but thankfully didn't continue to press the issue. With a relieved smile, Tomoe stepped closer to them and lifted Kaoru's hand to press a small, silver wing-shaped pendant into her young apprentice's palm; the slim silver chain threaded through it glittering in the pale moonlight.

"This is the last gift I can give you." She murmured as she released Kaoru's hand and did the same with Misao. "Should you two get separated for any reason, this amulet will help you find each other. But please, do not let anyone see this as it will directly link you two to me. "

"Tomoe-sama - "

The older woman shook her head to silence Kaoru. "There is nothing more to say."

Then she leaned forward and wrapped Kaoru in hug that she hoped conveyed just how much she truly loved the young mage. "Remember, don't let anyone see your blue eyes." She whispered softly into Kaoru's ear as she strengthened the charm that kept her vivid eyes hidden behind the same bright green as Misao's. "They are our secret alone."

A miniscule nod was her only answer and Tomoe focused on making the illusion as strong as she could. Once she was satisfied that the spell would hold under all but a direct assault, she released Kaoru and stepped back with a smile. A sharp pain pierced her chest at the slight shimmering in Kaoru's eyes but she ignored it and turned to Misao, giving her second favorite student a parting hug before she stepped back to give them more room. "Remember, should anything happen bring the girls here."

Neither Kaoru, nor Misao looked willing to give up the questioning and she watched in silence as they internally battled the need to voice that curiosity. A grateful sigh nearly passed her lips when, instead of trying to wheedle anything more out of her, they gave in and simply donned the necklaces and mounted their horses.

"We promise to do our best to keep Ayame and Suzume safe." Kaoru murmured hollowly, as she settled herself in the saddle and dipped her head in a show respect. "It's the least we can do for their parents." And then, before Tomoe could say anything more, Kaoru tugged the reins and wheeled her horse around to head for the gate. But not before Tomoe saw the one lone tear slip silently down her young ward's cheek.

Fending off her own tears, she simply watched as the child she'd helped raise quickly made her way across the courtyard and disappeared into the moonlit night beyond.

"We'll be okay, Tomoe-sama. I promise" Misao said from her own mount, before she too headed for the gate. With one final wave over her shoulder, she called, "I'll send a bird as soon as we reach Kiyosu." And then she vanished out of sight, following Kaoru out into the silent night.

Tomoe dropped her eyes closed as they disappeared and prayed to whichever deity was listening to keep them safe through all of this. At least, they wouldn't be completely alone. The bird she had sent earlier this morning would hopefully find the one it sought and, if the god's be willing, the girls would have a guardian of their own. Though not mage born that particular person was still a force to be reckoned with. If all went as she hoped her girls would be safe too.

With a slight smile, she waved a hand to close the gate and headed back into the manor. For good or ill it was done. Now all she could do was pray that the strike she and the few remaining mages had planned for three days hence would succeed.

* * *

Kaoru tried not to flinch as the heavy thud of the gate closing came from behind her. Instead she continued to silently but steadily guide her horse down the tree-lined lane away from the manor that had been her home for the last fifteen years.

A heaviness unlike anything she had ever felt before settled in the vicinity of her heart and she sighed softly as she reached up to swipe away the thin trail of wetness from her cheek. She knew leaving would be hard but she'd never expected it to be quite this difficult. Snorting at herself, she shook her head. How pathetic for a newly appointed apprentice mage. Tomoe would probably have her mucking out the stables for the next six months if she ever found out just how much Kaoru wanted to turn around and go back.

A soft chuckle escaped against her will at the thought, but her humor quickly faded beneath the weight of the truth and her smile fell away. Even if she was given the chance to turn around she wouldn't. Not now. Ayame and Suzume needed her far more now than Tomoe ever would, thanks to Kanryuu. Because in one single, brutal strike the former black mage had done the one thing Kaoru found absolutely unforgivable. He had in that one instant, made those two little girls into orphans… just like her. That was a fate no one should have to endure. She would die before she'd let him get his hands on them after what he'd already done.

A faint shimmering in the middle of the lane caught Kaoru's attention and she sighed as she shoved the thoughts to the back of her mind and unconsciously slowed at the sight. Here was the last obstacle she had to overcome. And the hardest as far as she was concerned.

Her grip on the reins tightened as she eyed the shifting colors of the magical barrier protecting the Yukishiro manor in the nearly full moonlight. She winced as the ache in her chest tightened with trepidation. Was she really ready for this?

She tried to ignore the anxiety battering at her and absently twisted the reins in her hand. Ready or not she had to do this. Ayame and Suzume needed her and the only way she was going to get to them was by leaving.

With a deep breath, she closed her eyes and slowly exhaled, willing her nerves to calm. It wasn't that she was scared of the world beyond… well… not completely. Granted it didn't help that she had only ever crossed this barrier twice in the last fifteen years. Nor the fact that the last time had been five long years ago, when Ayame had been born, and then for only three days. The truth was the only reason she knew the Takeshi family as well as she did was because they had often taken the time to visit Tomoe and the others here at the manor.

All her life she had been forbidden to cross this barrier without Tomoe and now her teacher expected her to do just that. A tiny smirk whispered across her lips as she opened her eyes to watch the rippling colors weaving in and out of each other. That wasn't to say she hadn't tried to get through when she was younger but she'd never succeeded. Tomoe had always managed to catch her before she got within ten feet of the magical wall.

To be honest she still had no idea why she'd been banned from the world beyond, but now it seemed that banishment had been lifted whether she was ready or not. Now all she could hope was that she could live up to her mentor's expectations and not bring shame to the only person she'd ever called family.

The soft clattering of hooves against packed dirt roused her from her thoughts and she glanced to her companion and best friend as she came up beside her. "What took you so long?"

Misao rolled her eyes and smirked. "Didn't realize you were in such a hurry. Who would have thought you'd be raring to go after your insomnia last night and pacing all day long today."

Kaoru felt her face flush a deep red. Had she really been that obvious?

"Funny, I thought I'd have to drag you through the barrier kicking and screaming." Misao teased, clearly enjoying her discomfort.

Kaoru scowled at the jab but instead of rising to the bait, she let the scowl morph into an evil grin and she leaned towards her green-eyed friend. "That's what you get for thinking…"

And without so much as another breath, Kaoru put heels to her horses flanks and they shot forward, heading for the barrier at a dead run. A rush of exhilaration swept through her veins and she laughed as she heard Misao curse colorfully behind her then take off after her. Less than a heartbeat later she saw Misao come up beside her and then, with a wicked grin thrown her way Misao shot past her. A split second later, the dark-haired teen vanished into the swirling colors, leaving Kaoru and the barrier behind.

Resisting the nearly overwhelming urge to haul her horse to a stop, Kaoru clenched the reins tightly in white knuckled fists and closed her eyes as her horse plunged into the barrier. She gasped as the magic of the barrier enveloped her, making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end and her skin tingle as if a thousand little hands were her caressing her.

And then almost as soon as it had come the sensation was gone and Kaoru felt the cool night breeze brush against her face and she opened her eyes. She'd done it! She was through! A keen excitement filled her, as if all her worries and apprehensions had been remained on the other side of the barrier.

With a huge grin she glanced to Misao who smiled proudly at her and asked, "You ready?"

Kaoru nodded eagerly, "More than ready."

With one last glance over her shoulder at the imposing mountain face the shield projected on the outside, she nudged her horse into a smooth canter. It was with lighter hearts the two young women started up the road that would eventually lead them to Kiyosu and the two little girls awaiting their arrival. Both of them completely oblivious to the tiny ripple Kaoru's entrance into the world had caused.

A ripple that would be felt moments later by a wandering swordsman one hundred and fifty miles away.

* * *

Himura Kenshin sighed in exhaustion as he warily eyed the moonlit forest. His violet eyes searching the eaves of the shadowed depths along the deserted road he and his companion, Shinomori Aoshi, were traveling for a place to rest for the night. It was getting extremely late and neither he nor the icy-eyed man beside him had slept in the last twenty four hours due to the mission they had just completed. To be honest he was surprised they were both still on their feet.

With a tired smile, Kenshin continued on in hopes that either the forest would thin or they'd find a clearing somewhere beneath the trees to rest. The thick tangle of underbrush proved persistent however, promising nothing but thorns and branches.

Grimacing against the thought of even having to bed down on the edge of the old dirt road he turned to his companion beside him to voice his thoughts. He'd only opened his mouth and gone a few more steps though when the left side of his face suddenly exploded with white hot fire, the unexpected agony nearly sending him to his knees.

Stunned, Kenshin instinctively slapped a hand to his left cheek as wave after wave of blinding pain radiated out from the lengthwise scar that marred his features. Doing his best to remain standing, he clenched his teeth and swallowed back the bile rising in his throat as he waited for what felt like an eternity for the attack to subside.

Finally the pain began to recede and he sagged into himself completely worn out from the assault. Sweat dotted his brow as he swallowed harshly. That had to have been the worst one yet. Inhaling deeply, Kenshin let the breath out slowly and righted himself as the pain continued to fade, soon to become nothing more than a memory. How many times had that happened so far?… Three?… Four? To be honest he couldn't remember, but one thing he did know was that this time it had been far more brutal.

With a sigh, he dropped his hand from his abused cheek. Never had the pain been quite that bad.

"You're bleeding."

Kenshin jumped at the soft statement and glanced to Aoshi with a confused look. "What - "

But before he could finish the question, Aoshi pointed to his cheek. "Your scar is bleeding."

Startled, Kenshin lifted his left hand to feel what Aoshi was talking about but stopped when he caught sight of the black stain on his palm and fingers. The blood dark in the pale moonlight. Aoshi was right, he was bleeding. But… why?

Unfortunately he didn't get a chance to think much more as a moment later a mournful cry he knew well split the quiet night. Glancing to the side of the road his eyes quickly scanned the treeline to find source of the call.

He smiled faintly when he spotted Besshi, the Yukishiro family's private messenger bird, perched on a low branch just at the edge of the thick canopy of leaves. Wiping the blood from his hand and cheek with the cloth Aoshi offered him, he held out his arm in invitation and smiled in earnest as the white-faced, black-winged hawk took flight to land on his makeshift perch.

"I see you have something for me, Besshi." Kenshin noted as he eyed the tiny silver canister attached to the bird's leg. Another cry came in answer and Kenshin gently rubbed his head feathers to settle him down again. He'd been expecting it actually, ever since he'd heard about the deaths in Kiyosu.

Once satisfied that the unique bird would hold still, Kenshin gently thumbed the lid open and withdrew the small rolled piece of parchment tucked inside. Recapping the tiny cylinder, he gave the bird a final rub in thanks then launched him up into the air. With one last cry, the bird took wing and headed south towards home.

A soft scraping came from beside him and then the moonlit darkness was chased away by the small flickering torch Aoshi now held to illuminate the message. Slowly unrolling the parchment, Kenshin quickly read the neatly flowing script. He smiled wryly as he reached the end of the message, the weariness he'd felt before coming back tenfold.

"It seems Tomoe-dono needs me in Kiyosu as soon as possible," He remarked softly, as he rolled the message again and tucked it into a pocket.

"Why? More trouble?" Aoshi asked as he opened his water skin and poured out a small portion to douse the brand.

Kenshin shook his head. "No. She sent two of her apprentice mages to be the young Takeshi's guardians and she wants to make sure they are kept safe too."

Aoshi's lips twitched in his estimation of a smile and he set about packing away the cooled brand and bloody cloth. "Do you plan to travel through the night then?"

Kenshin sighed wearily as he shook his head again and started down the road, again looking for a place to make camp. "Best to rest here for the remainder of the night and head out at first light. Neither of us has had much sleep lately and it'll take me at least four to five days to travel the ninety miles to the keep."

"It will take _us_ four or five days..." Aoshi corrected as he fell in to step beside him.

Kenshin smiled as he dipped his head in understanding. He'd expected that. Ever since they had crossed paths three months ago in a small town several miles north of here they'd been working together. Going from town to town, doing odd jobs to fill their stomachs and pockets. But one thing he'd noticed recently was the direction they always seemed to be heading. For some reason the icy-eyed man was heading south, questioning townsfolk as they passed through villages and towns along the way, as if the double kodachi wielding swordsman was searching for something and had yet to find it.

With a soft sigh, Kenshin continued searching the moonlit forest. Tomoe expected and trusted only him, but he wasn't about to tell his companion to remain behind. Maybe Aoshi would find who or what he was looking for on their trek south to Kiyosu.

And if not, they would continue further south once this job was complete. But first they needed to reach Kiyosu. And quickly if the urgency he'd sensed in Tomoe's neat handwriting said anything about just what kind of danger the two girls were in.

Because something had begun to move tonight. What it was Kenshin couldn't say, but he could feel it deep down in his bones.

And he had a feeling that, whatever it was, would change the world as he knew it forever.

* * *

Thank you for reading. I hope you will continue to follow as I put Kenshin and Kaoru through hell again.

Important note - Just in case I didn't explain well enough in the chapter, Kenshin only has the first part of his scar.


	2. Red Sun Rising

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Note - Please forgive the rather long wait for this chapter. I forgot to mention in the first chapter that I can't guarantee quick updates because my real life tends to get in the way of my fun. I do however promise to update as often as I can. Also I will do my best to answer reviews but again, I can't promise anything. Raising a rebellious teenager is a full time job.

Anyway, on with the chapter. I hope you will find it was worth the wait.

* * *

Chapter 2 - Red Sun Rising

Three days later. 35 miles west of Kiyosu.

The sky was just beginning to lighten to a murky gray when Tomoe and the others followed Akira out of the ominously silent forest surrounding a small secluded valley. Nearly a week before her husband and Azrael had tracked Kanryuu to this point, but the two stayed only long enough to assure themselves that their mark would remain.

Coming to a stop at the top of the gentle rolling hill that led down into the mist enshrouded vale, Tomoe warily eyed the dilapidated roof of the abandoned farm below. It was the only part of Kanryuu's hideout that was visible in the milky cloud.

It had been ten years since the Takeshi family had stripped Takeda of his power. Azumi and Isao had risked everything to defang the cold-blooded murderer instead of killing him, as Tomoe still believed they should have. And in the end they had paid dearly for that mistake.

Tomoe stifled a weary sigh. Even back then she'd known Takeda Kanryuu was a menace that needed to be destroyed not restrained. It was he who had ruined the relationship between the Tokugawa family and those of magekind who had survived after Sekigahara. And it had almost destroyed them all. So many mages had died during the bakufu's incursions, her own family among them. It had taken Tomoe and the five mages with her now, years to rekindle the fragile peace between magekind and the shogun after the Takeshi family had dealt with Kanryuu.

Tomoe clenched her fist at the memory but kept a tight hold on her temper. It was time to end what should have been finished back then, before Kanryuu could cause anymore damage. She wouldn't allow him to regain his power. Not with Ayame and Suzume's lives at stake. She would see him dead first.

A soft cry from above broke into her thoughts and Tomoe sighed softly as she released and flexed her fingers to get the blood flowing again, grateful for the interruption. Once they finished this, the girls would be safe.

Glancing up into the steadily brightening sky, she smiled as she watched Besshi's wing sib, Azrael, circle overhead then swoop down to land on her husband's outstretched arm.

"Are you ready?" Akira asked the black faced, blue eyed hawk as he gently rubbed her head feathers in greeting. Azrael fluttered her wings and gave another cry in assent.

"Do you think he's still here?" a husky, feminine voice asked from behind.

With one last glance to the still enshrouded cabin, Tomoe turned her back on the valley to face the other four who had accompanied them.

"I intend to check that with Azrael's help before we strike" she replied to Megumi's question. "But I have no doubt that he is still here waiting for the most opportune time to finish what he's started."

"We cannot let that happen." Sayo remarked softly. Beside her, her brother Shougo nodded his agreement. "He will destroy all we've managed to regain", the tall dark-haired mage added.

A sarcastic snort came from beside the Muyo siblings and Hachiro, the only mage born Sanada in history, gave them all a knowing smirk. "He will do more than that. The shogun's regents have been nosing around for a way to strengthen the bakufu while Ietsuna is too young to govern himself. If Kanryuu convinces them that he's harmless, he could do even more damage."

"We have to destroy him now before that happens!" Megumi said sharply, the clear hate in her eyes conveying far more than her words ever could. "He cannot be allowed into the shogun's confidence again."

With a sad smile, Tomoe raised a hand to calm the angry young woman. "We will not allow the past to repeat itself. I promise"

Megumi glared for a moment longer before she sighed heavily and shook her head, "I'm sorry, it's just…"

Tomoe's smile softened as the young Takani trailed off, "I know, my friend, I know" Of all the mages here with her today, Megumi had suffered the most of them all. Twelve years ago, Kanryuu had personally murdered her entire family right before her eyes and then had tried to kidnap the healing mage for his own personal uses.

"We should begin before we lose our advantage", Akira pointed out quietly, guiding her attention back to the steadily rising sun. They had at most an hour before the sun crested the horizon and the mist eddying around the deserted farm started evaporating.

With a silent sigh, Tomoe glanced back to her strike team to see if they had any other concerns. Nothing but waiting silence met her inquiry, then Hachiro said, "We're ready when you are."

Tomoe inclined her head in understanding and gave her attention to Akira and Azrael. Reaching out a finger, she gently rubbed the blue eyed hawk's head feathers and murmured, "May I borrow your eyes, my friend?"

Azrael fluttered her wings and let out a soft cry of assent before she fixed bright blue eyes on her in expectation.

Tomoe smiled. This was the reason she'd chosen Azrael to track Takeda instead of Besshi. Unlike his sister Besshi flat out refused to allow her into his mind at all. Azrael was not as strong a tracker as her brother but she made up for it with her willingness to play host when it was needed. And today that would be invaluable.

Closing her eyes, Tomoe took a moment to ready herself for the link, then slid them back open and reached out to place the tip of her index finger on Azrael's head, just above her eyes. At her call a small tendril of power languidly curled around her outstretched hand before she focused it into a needle thin thread. A single thought and she propelled it into Azrael's brain. The black faced hawk cried out and shuddered at the intrusion but otherwise remained still.

Smiling slightly at Azrael's unwavering trust, she guided the shaft of light into the raptor's consciousness and quickly found the segment controlling the bird's senses. With practiced ease she gently attached the small tendril of power to the main nerve system. She felt herself sway a little bit as the connection was made; her own awareness shifting perspective. And then a moment later, she found herself staring into her own glazed eyes, the clarity with which she could see her own face suddenly making her sick to her stomach.

Quickly dulling the link to blind herself, Tomoe clenched her teeth as she dropped her hand and willed her belly to settle down. She'd never really gotten use to this. Some could do this with ease but she'd never mastered the ability to seamlessly adapt to Azrael's heightened eyesight. It wouldn't take long for her adjust though, at least once they were airborne.

She jumped slightly when a warm, calloused hand cupped her cheek. "Are you ready?"

With a smile, Tomoe nodded and leaned into her husband's soothing touch. "We won't be long."

Akira's hand remained for a moment longer, his thumb gently caressing her cheek before it dropped away.

"It's time, Azrael."

A soft cry came in answer and then Tomoe felt a great rush of air as Akira launched the blue eyed hawk into the sky. Waiting for a moment for Azrael to gain some height, she inwardly smiled as an arm wrapped around her waist. Akira never did like it when she did this because there was always the chance she could be blinded if anything happened to Azrael while they were linked.

A tiny twinge of fear curled in her own gut at the thought but she ignored it and opened the link again once she was sure Azrael had fully gained the skies. She gasped softly as the world below came into sharp view, the slowly brightening landscape below a sight she hadn't seen in quite some time and one she was sure she would never tire of.

But right now she didn't have time to enjoy the sights. From here she could see the steadily rising sun even more and she mentally urged Azrael to head into the swirling mist below.

Azrael cried out in understanding and immediately dove for the concealing fog. Tomoe clenched her fist and willed her stomach not to rebel as the world rushed up at her at an alarming rate and then everything went white as they vanished into the fog.

Tomoe's stomach lurched again as Azrael suddenly leveled out and shot through the thick cloud like an arrow. But her unease soon vanished beneath an intense sense of awe at the ease with which the raptor navigated the milky fog. Even though they were sharing the same eyes, Tomoe couldn't pick out much of anything in the thick cover. Azrael truly was an amazing creature.

A few moments later the raptor banked to the right then slowed and with practiced ease, dropped down onto a limb of the tree that had suddenly materialized before them. Tomoe's stomach rolled again at the sudden movements and she winced as Azrael let out a triumphant cry, obviously pleased to have reached her destination.

Mentally shushing the excited hawk, she ignored her own upset and quickly fixed her entire attention on the darkened window Azrael had landed beside. Many of the vertical slats had been broken out over the years since the house had been abandoned, giving Tomoe a clean view of the gloomy living quarters within. And much to her intense relief she could clearly make out what looked like four reclining silhouettes scattered around the barren room. The undeniable proof that Kanryuu and his lackeys were still using this as their hideout.

With an inward sigh of relief, Tomoe scanned the lightly snoring occupants hoping to find the one she truly sought. But even with Azrael's heightened eyesight she couldn't tell in the dimness which one was Takeda.

A faint, barely discernible shifting of one of the shadows suddenly caught her attention and Tomoe unconsciously tensed as she swung her shared eyes to the one who had moved; anxiously waiting for some other indication that those within were beginning to wake.

Several agonizingly long moments passed with no further movement and she finally let herself begin to relax again. It seemed lady luck was on their side today. If they struck within the next few minutes Kanryuu and his men would have no time to gather themselves, let alone fight back.

Somewhat relieved by the thought, she silently let Azrael know that it was time to go. Completely oblivious to the true location of the very much awake and aware former black mage resting directly under the window.

The blue eyed raptor warbled deep in her throat in answer then sprang from the limb, her smooth wing beats swiftly rocketing them into the air. Tomoe smiled to herself and waited until Azrael had guided them out of the thick cloud concealing the hideout before she gave the raptor a loving mental caress in thanks and severed the link.

Almost instantly she found herself back within her own mind and she wobbled slightly in Akira's arms as a sickening wave of vertigo swept over her. Clenching her teeth tight, she shook her head weakly in an effort to shake off the after effects of the link. She should have waited until they were closer before she cut contact with Azrael.

Once she'd managed to regain her equilibrium, she gently tugged away from Akira and glanced to the rest of their group.

"He's still here."

Tomoe almost smiled as a collective sigh of relief whispered into the quiet morning.

"As are the three rogue mages we already knew he's using." She continued. Creasing her eyebrows slightly she glanced to Sayo, "However I saw no sign of the mercenaries you found on your way to the manor."

Sayo paled at this. "They must be here."

"Are you sure this was their destination?" Tomoe asked, even though she knew there was very little chance the young telepath was wrong. A fact that made her nervous because that meant they had an unknown in the upcoming strike. They would have to be even more on guard.

"There is no way they could have misled Sayo. She reads the unconscious mind." Shougo remarked tightly.

Sayo laid a hand on her brother's arm to soothe him. "I have misread before but this time I am certain they were coming here. Although that was two days ago. Takeda may have already sent them to do his bidding."

Tomoe absently nodded, not sure if she accepted that herself or not. Up until now he'd left the mercenaries he'd contracted in a small town twenty miles back towards Kiyosu. Kanryuu wouldn't have called them here had he not had a use for them. And according to Sayo there had been four of them. Where would they have-?

And then it hit her just as Hachiro piped up, "Leave them to me. I'll search the perim-"

Suddenly Azrael cut him off with an ear piercing cry of warning, confirming Tomoe's suspicions. She and the rest immediately went on guard, searching the empty hilltop for some sign of the enemy. But Tomoe knew it was already too late. Four mercenaries… four silhouettes, they had walked into a trap.

Their worst fears were proven correct when, less than a heartbeat later, the world suddenly exploded in a deluge of fire, scattering her team to the four winds. Throwing up a shield to deflect the molten rain shower, Tomoe with Akira right behind her, flickered away from the black cloaked figures materializing all around them and came to rest several feet away just under the leading edge of the trees. The shadows of the forest eaves cloaking them from the enemy.

Akira immediately took up a defensive position behind her, facing the seemingly empty forest as Tomoe spun around to see how the others had faired. She cursed softly under her breath when she saw Sayo and Shougo off to her left now surrounded by three black cloaked figures she recognized as the rogue mages Kanryuu had previously recruited. The protective shield Sayo had thrown up around them was weakening rapidly under the steady barrage of pure energy the three mages were battering it with. It wouldn't be much longer before it fell and by then Sayo would have no chance.

Unbidden, power surged to life in Tomoe's hand and without another thought she flung a spear of white hot fire at the closest one in an effort to break their concentration. Praying that the distraction would be long enough for the siblings to break free.

But she had no idea if the bolt struck its target because at that very same moment a pain-filled scream came from her right. Whirling, Tomoe was just in time to see Megumi stumble backwards into Hachiro, who was physically battling another of the cloaked figures. The front of her cloak and kimono had been burnt beyond repair, the exposed flesh beneath blackened and smoking. But before Tomoe could even think to assist her, the young healer mage had already begun to retaliate. Shafts of light exploded from Megumi's palms, taking her two enemies square in the chest, while simultaneously healing her wounds internally.

Satisfied that Megumi and Hachiro would be able to hold off the other three mages Kanryuu had somehow recruited for a little bit longer, Tomoe glanced back to the Muyo siblings to see if they needed any more assistance. Much to her relief she instead found them now free of Sayo's shield and holding their own against their attackers, the tiger Shougo had summoned helping to keep the enemy on the defensive.

Using the lull to her advantage, Tomoe quickly scanned the faces of the mages harrying her group and tensed when she could find no sign of the mastermind behind the trap. This didn't bode well. Even powerless Kanryuu was still someone they couldn't take lightly. He'd been the strongest of their kind and not all of that had been due to his immense power. He'd also excelled in his use of something he'd called alchemy. A magicless power that could be almost as destructive as the inherent power they shared.

An abrupt, ground shaking blast from the battlefield ripped Tomoe from her apprehension. Her eyes flew wide in horror as she watched her four friends thrown in all directions like discarded rag dolls. The six they'd been fighting now standing clear of the destruction.

Pure instinct drove her next move as Tomoe threw up her hands and hastily formed cushions of air beneath the four of them in a desperate attempt to slow their fall. But a moment later another explosion rocked the world around her and she lost her concentration, the invisible pillows vanishing as quickly as they'd come.

Screams of pain filled the air as they all hit the ground and Tomoe was just about to rush the battlefield when a pain filled hiss erupted from right behind her. Stopped dead, she spun around just in time to see the one she'd been searching for removing a long, lethal blade from her husband's gut. Horror and cold rage gripped a hold of her as blood stained his torso.

"Akira!"

A grunt of pain was her only answer as the blade slipped free. With grim determination darkening his face, Akira drove a power engulfed fist into Kanryuu's chest, sending the black mage flying back into the trees before he stumbled to his knees.

Ignoring the nearly overwhelming urge to help her husband, Tomoe took the advantage Akira had just given her. Without a second thought she flickered to where Kanryuu had landed several yards away, her hand already pulsing with barely contained power.

But she never got a chance to use it because at the exact same moment she materialized in front of him, Kanryuu did the impossible and let loose a crackling sphere of electricity directly into her unprotected chest.

A strangled scream ripped from her throat as the black tainted ball crashed into her and she flew backwards from the force of the blow. She cried out again as she slammed bone crushingly hard into a thick gnarled tree trunk, the impact bending her spine to the breaking point.

Breath knocked from her, Tomoe crumbled to the ground in a heap and simply laid there unable to do anything but try to inhale. Gasping desperately as it became a chore. Only the searing pain in her chest kept her from falling into unconsciousness and with every last bit of will power she had began to lever herself up. She'd only managed to get a foot off the ground though when a blade was ruthlessly driven through her shoulder, pinning her in place. The shock driving her to inhale sharply.

"I don't think so bitch." A deep voice she didn't recognize growled from just above her.

Tomoe hissed as her vision darkened dangerously. Clenching her teeth tight, she blinked several times and desperately tried to will the pain away. She gasped loudly when the blade was jarred suddenly, the sensation nearly driving her into unconsciousness. Tomoe's eyesight blurred briefly before the one who had stabbed her thudded into a heap beside her, a gaping hole in his chest.

Before she could even gather the strength to glance over her shoulder to see who her savior was, a bolt of lightning sped past her head and slammed into whoever it was. A faint grunt came from behind her just as she heard the person collapse to the forest floor.

"Your husband is a tenacious one, isn't he?" Kanryuu remarked casually, as his booted feet came to a stop in front of her.

Tomoe's blood froze in her veins. Akira…

"No need to worry. He's not dead yet." Kanryuu assured her, as he took another step closer. Without a word of warning he grabbed the sword and yanked it out of her shoulder. "I suppose we don't need that anymore."

Tomoe cried out and fell back to the leaf strewn ground, the mind-numbing pain radiating out from the wound pulsing with her heartbeat. If this kept up she'd end up dead herself. For a long moment she laid there, trying to gather the energy to lift herself up as her blood seeped soundlessly into the dirt; the wound in her chest calling attention to itself again.

The thought of how she had come by the dull throb pounding in her chest caught at her, pulling her up from the blackness that threatened at the edges of her mind. Slowly but steadily Tomoe levered herself up until she was resting against the trunk of the tree that had nearly broken her back.

"How?" She croaked softy as she weakly motioned to the blackened wound in her chest.

Kanryuu gave her a long sideways look as he finished cleaning the blade and re-sheathed it, then chuckled low in his throat and crouched down before her. With a smile that set her teeth on edge, he tugged his kimono open to reveal the source of his returned power.

Tomoe inhaled sharply as her eyes flew wide, the blood draining from her face at the sight of the fist sized, star shaped jewel embedded in the black mage's chest. The very same jewel Azumi and Isao had crafted and imprisoned Kanryuu's power in over ten years ago. Another chuckle spilled into the ominously silent forest and Tomoe watched in horror as the sick looking purple and black power within the jewel responded; swirling lazily with his mirth.

"I see you recognize my bane." Kanryuu purred with a smirk as he tugged his kimono back in place. "Although it would seem it has turned out to be more of a curse to the Takeshi family than to me."

Still stunned, Tomoe said nothing as tiny fingers of fear slowly curled around her belly, the pain forgotten in her growing trepidation. They were in far more trouble than she could ever have imagined. None of them had foreseen this, not even Azumi and Isao.

"They should have destroyed it once they had seal my power in it," Kanryuu continued when she remained silent. "But thanks to their compassion, they didn't. Which gave me an opportunity to regain what they had stolen. Not one of their smartest moves."

"Although," He muttered with a scowl, "I'm still rather irritated to find that I can only touch a small amount of my power, even with the jewel implanted in my chest."

Tomoe frowned and murmured, "You shouldn't even be able to touch that much." The jewel was supposed to be impenetrable even if the seal had been partially released with Azumi and Isao's deaths. It wasn't suppose to release _any_ power until all four of the Takeshi were removed.

"True enough," Kanryuu conceded easily, with a smile that made her blood run cold. "But, I've never been one to let something like that stop me. Once I realized that a portion of my power had been somewhat freed by killing Isao and Azumi, I knew that if I tried hard enough I'd find a way to harness that small amount." With a wave of his hand in front of his chest, he shrugged. "And I did. By grafting the jewel to my ribcage and linking my blood to it, I can now call on that little bit of power at will. Although I will no longer need to rely on such archaic sciences once I finish off the Takeshi family."

Tomoe scowled as her protective instinct roared to life at the confirmation of her fears and she glared hard at him, disgusted by the ease with which he could speak of killing Ayame and Suzume. The man truly was a monster. One they had all severely underestimated.

"I'm not going to let you anywhere near those two little girls, Takeda." She warned.

Kanryuu chuckled at that and shook his head as he rose to tower over her. "How do you plan to stop me?" He asked in a patronizing tone, clearly amused by her empty blustering. "With the six of you injured here, there is no one left to stop me from storming the keep and taking what I want."

Tomoe unconsciously stiffened at the threat and immediately regretted the sudden movement, her wounds vehemently protesting the abuse. She hissed as her vision swam dangerously and she had to wait a few moments for her eyes to clear again before she gingerly forced her muscles to relax. He was right, there was no way she could reach the keep in the shape she was in. But she still had her own secret card to play. One Takeda hopefully knew nothing about.

"The keep is heavily guarded by both man and magic." Tomoe remarked more calmly than she felt, testing to see if he somehow knew about Kaoru and Misao.

Kanryuu smirked. "Guards can be bought, or in this case replaced," he replied off handedly. "As to the shields, even with my limited use of the craft I'm sure they will no longer be a problem."

Tomoe froze. Replaced? What did he mean by replaced?

And then it dawned on her and she winced as the fist in her gut clenched tight. The extra guard she'd requested from the shogun was suppose to arrive in Kiyosu sometime later today. Then that meant the reason he'd gathered the mercenaries was…

"I see you've realized your mistake." Kanryuu said as he glanced to canopy of leaves above them. "It's just about sunrise, they should be at the keep by the midday meal if they set out now as I've instructed them to." Dropping his attention back to her, he smiled. "To be honest I'm surprised you left their safety to human guards. But who am I to complain."

Tomoe all of a sudden found it very hard to breathe. Any relief she may have felt at finding out her secret was safe was ruthlessly swept away by the undeniable truth that neither Kaoru nor Misao could handle Kanryuu in his current state. They were sitting ducks… all of them.

"There is no need to worry," The black mage said softly misreading the sickly pallor of her skin. "I will make sure their deaths are as quick as possible."

And then, before she could so much as draw breath to curse him to hell, Kanryuu ignited his hand and slammed it palm first against the stab wound in her shoulder. Tomoe screamed as his tainted power savagely tore into her already damaged flesh. Skin sizzled and burned beneath the onslaught. Desperately trying to remain conscious she weakly tried to pull herself away but found she could do nothing but fight off the blackness closing in on all sides.

Several agonizing long minutes later Kanryuu finally seemed to be satisfied and he withdrew his hand. "I can't have you following me." He said simply in explanation and then in the next instant he was gone.

Tomoe sighed in exhaustion and sagged bonelessly against the tree trunk, surprised that he'd even left her alive at all. Perhaps he thought she would die of her wounds, a slow painful death in the middle of nowhere. But right now that was the least of her worries. She needed to warn the girls to get out of the keep or they'd have no chance. And thankfully she still had one last member of their party that could still reach them.

Dredging up the last little bit of strength she had, Tomoe mentally cried for Azrael, hoping and praying the bird was still in the area.

While she waited for the hawk to respond, she tugged a loose piece of cloth from her shredded white under kimono and held it against her shoulder wound for a moment before pulling it away to see if she was still bleeding. She smiled faintly in relief when she saw the bit of red dotting the dirty material. Pushing the piece into the wound again, she flex her shoulder a couple of times to force enough blood out to soak the scrap, then squeezed out the access and waited for Azrael to come.

She didn't have to wait long. A few moments later the black faced hawk winged in low between the tree trunks and with a shrill cry, gracefully dropped down at her feet. A genuine smile touched Tomoe's lips as she reached out and offered the waiting bird the blood soaked cloth. Azrael eyed it curiously for a minute before she warbled deep in her throat and lifted a clawed foot to gingerly accept the scrap.

Tomoe's smile widened as Azrael grasped it delicately but firmly, and she whispered, "Kiyosu".

The blue eyed raptor dipped her head in a human like show of understanding then cried out one last time and took wing, quickly vanishing into the trees again.

With a bone deep sigh of relief, Tomoe finally let herself relax as she felt more than saw the sun finally break over the horizon. Azrael may not be trained to specifically find Kaoru or Misao, but she was still a good enough messenger bird to find her way to Kiyosu's mews. And from there the rest she would have to leave in the hands of fate.

* * *

Kaoru sighed softly as she silently padded down the eastern porch of the keep with a steaming cup of freshly brewed jasmine tea. It wasn't even sunrise yet and she was already out of bed, something was seriously wrong with this picture.

A wry smile whispered across her lips as she came to the section of the porch that Ayame had sworn was the best place to watch the sunrise, and settled down next to one of the roof support columns. Normally she wasn't a morning person but thanks to her agitation and lack of sleep at the manor all those days ago her sleeping schedule had been completely knocked out of whack. Of course it didn't help that she had dropped from exhaustion and then promptly slept for almost seventeen hours straight when she and Misao had first arrived here either.

Kaoru's face flamed red in embarrassment again at the memory and she quickly set about cooling her steaming tea. Some guardian she was. Kanryuu could have come at anytime that day and she never would have known it.

Sobered by the thought, Kaoru absently continued to blow on the tea and glanced out over the well tended, gently rolling hill that led to the wall surrounding the keep. A top the stone barricade two guards were currently standing watch. At least it wasn't just her and Misao. The girls were also being protected by some twenty guardsmen who constantly patrolled the area around the keep, and according to Gensai-sensei that number was suppose to double sometime today. Not to mention the intricate shield Sayo-sama had constructed, somewhat like the one protecting the manor.

And yet, for some reason Kaoru had the distinct feeling that wasn't going to be enough. Why she felt that way she couldn't say. But ever since they'd arrive, or been awake in her case, she'd been on edge. As if she unconsciously knew something was going to happen but not what or when. An itch that couldn't be found.

Exhaling softly, Kaoru shook her head and gave her attention to the steadily brightening sky beyond the guards. It was times like these that she wished she was one of those witches in the storybooks she'd read as a child that could use a crystal ball to see into the future. She snickered at the thought and finally took a sip of her partially cooled tea.

A purr of contentment vibrated deep within her chest as the slightly bitter yet smooth flavor filled her mouth. Maybe being up this early wasn't so bad after all. It wasn't very often she could indulge in a cup of her favorite tea with no interruptions. Now all she needed was for the sun to rise in a blaze of glory and her morning would be complete.

A moment later her wish was granted and the sun finally began coming into view above the wooded horizon far off in the distance. But instead of brightening the landscape like she expected it to, it painted everything within sight a dark, sickly red.

Startled, Kaoru's breath caught in her throat as the blood seemed to drain from her entire body. An internal chill swept through her and she shivered as the tea cup slipped from numb fingers to clatter soundlessly to the grass at her feet.

For several long moments, Kaoru simply stared openmouthed in stunned silence as the blood red orb continued to slowly rise into the sky. The diseased light setting her insides to churning in a nauseous roil.

Red sun rising. Blood would be spilled today.

Kaoru clenched her teeth to keep her stomach from rebelling and shivered again as the age old saying rose up from the very depths of her mind. And then, right before her eyes, the sickly color vanished as if it had never been. She had to suddenly squint to keep from being blinded as the bright yellow sphere instantly bathed the world with its usual brilliance.

Blinking rapidly to clear the dots now swimming through her vision, Kaoru fisted her hands to stop them from shaking and shook her head. Impossible. She must have been seeing things because there was no way the sun would glow red like that. Absolutely none. It was just... impossible.

"Good morning, Kaoru-san."

Kaoru let out a strangled yelp and nearly jumped out of her skin at the unexpected voice. Swinging her attention over her shoulder she paled at the sight of Dr. Gensai.

"Are you okay?" He asked, giving her an odd look.

Counting to ten in her head in an effort to calm herself back down, she dug up the best smile she could and nodded weakly, "I'm fine. Did you happen to see the sunrise this morning?"

Dr. Gensai continued to watch her for a minute before a small smile graced his lips and with a nod he glanced to the partially risen sun. "Quite a beautiful one this morning, wasn't it? One of the brightest I've seen in ages."

Kaoru sagged in relief as all the tension flowed out of her in a rush and she smiled weakly as she hummed an affirmation. So it _had_ all been in her mind. Maybe she should take a nap later this morning when the girls were at their lessons. Hopefully if she caught up on some sleep her mind wouldn't play nasty tricks on her like that because she wasn't sure if she could take that again or not. But she had to admit she was extremely happy to find out that's all it had been.

With a soft sigh, Kaoru bent down to retrieve her fallen cup before standing to face the elderly doctor. "Shall we go have breakfast, Gensai-sensei?"

Dr. Gensai gave her a grandfatherly smile and turned to head back towards the main doors leading into the keep. "If you don't mind an old man as company then I would be delighted to."

Kaoru smirked and quickly matched his step. "Old man? But I was sure you were only a year or two older than me..." She replied playfully.

Her adopted grandfather chuckled under his breath at that but remained quiet as they made their way into the keep and towards the small dining room where the family took their meals. Bolstered by the silent but steady presence beside her, Kaoru couldn't help but grin to herself as her earlier fears continued to seep away.

Today was going to be a good day.

* * *

Kenshin turned his back on the now brightly glowing sunshine and tried to ignore the sense of foreboding tightening his chest as the memory of the blood stained sun he'd just witnessed continued to play through his mind. If that omen meant what he thought it meant, they needed to get to Kiyosu and they needed to do it quickly.

"Are you ready, Himura-san?"

Kenshin glanced to the aged rice farmer he and Aoshi had hitched a ride with the morning before and nodded. "How much longer do you think it will take to reach Kiyosu?" He asked as he jumped into the back of the partially filled wagon and found a seat beside Aoshi.

The wagon jolted forward as soon as he sat down and the old man replied, "We should reach the city by early evening at the latest."

Kenshin inclined his head in thanks then turned his attention back to the steadily brightening sky as they started down the rutted road again. So far he and Aoshi had made excellent time thanks to the elderly farmer's kindness. They'd come some thirty miles since yesterday morning and now they would reach Kiyosu a day or more earlier than he'd originally expected to. And yet now, after witnessing the prophetic sunrise this morning, he wasn't so sure it was going to be enough.

Shifting around slightly to get more comfortable, Kenshin wearily leaned his head back against one of the rice sacks and absently rubbed his scarred cheek to sooth the ever present throb. Right now, there was nothing he could do about it. All he could do was hope that whatever danger Tomoe's apprentices faced would be something they could handle, at least until he and Aoshi finally reached the keep.

And yet deep down he knew it wasn't going to be that easy. Nothing ever was.

* * *

Thanks for reading. :D


	3. Flight

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 3 – Flight

The morning sun had already begun its long climb up the crystal clear azure sky by the time Megumi finished healing her own wounds. Gingerly she pushed to her feet to begin the arduous task of finding and mending her teammates, silently praying she would find them all alive. A wince touched her face as she gained her full height, gently rubbing the still sore muscles protesting the movement. To be honest she was surprised to still be alive. Takeda had never been one to show mercy much less leave his enemy alive behind him. Why had he allowed it this time?

A faint groan of pain from behind caught Megumi's attention and she instinctively tensed as a small flame of power surged to life in one hand. Sliding a wary glance over her shoulder, she nearly sighed in relief and let the fireball in her palm fade as she turned around to watch the owner of the voice continue to lever himself up into a sitting position. His right leg lay at an odd angle denoting the reason for the black scowl darkening the fallen Sanada's face.

"The least they could have done was kill me." Hachiro grouched irritably as he tried to find a comfortable spot while not disturbing the broken limb. "I've never broken _anything_ before this!"

Megumi resisted the urge to roll her eyes, instead shook her head as she cautiously picked her way over the broken ground between them to repair the limb and check him for internal injuries. "Be happy you're not a horse or I'd have to kill you where you lay."

Hachiro glared at her for a moment, then shook his head and chuckled. "You would do it too, wouldn't you, Megumi-san. I better shut up before you decide I'm close enough to a horse and do me in anyway."

Megumi simply smiled at that and, cautious of her own aches, slowly knelt down beside him. "Smart man."

Hachiro smirked at that but said nothing more as she set about poking and prodding his leg to see how bad the damage was. She sighed in relief when all she found was a clean break in the tibia, the larger of the two bones of the lower leg. That would be easily repaired and take very little energy on her part. Pleased, she turned her attention to the more immediate threat and gently placed her hands on either side of his head to begin checking for internal injuries. Quickly scanning his brain and spinal cord for damage, she was relieved to find nothing amiss and moved on to his chest to see if he had any broken ribs that could have pierced his lungs. But a thorough search of his chest cavity yielded nothing more than severe bruising and she finally dropped her hands and settled back.

"As usual. You defy logic." Megumi noted with a bite, as she tenderly righted his broken leg and began healing. "Even I had four broken ribs and a mild concussion."

Hachiro shrugged. "Must be the Sanada blood. It takes a lot to slay us."

Megumi scoffed softly but before she could think of a retort, she heard heavy footfalls coming their way and glanced up to see Shougo limping slowly over the uneven ground with an unmoving Sayo tucked securely against his chest.

Alarmed, Megumi quickly finished with Hachiro and rose to greet them. "Is she alive?"

Shougo nodded tiredly as he closed the last few feet. "Exhaustion." He explained as he dropped to one knee and gently laid Sayo down. "She protected us both from the worst of the explosions."

Megumi exhaled silently in relief and knelt down beside the sleeping mage. With quick, sure hands she examined Sayo for injuries and was glad to find nothing but a mild concussion and some heavy bruising in her back and legs. In a matter of moments she had relieved the trauma to the brain but for now left the bruising untreated as she had with herself and Hachiro. She didn't dare expend any more energy than she absolutely had to. She still had yet to see Tomoe or Akira. The fact they hadn't seen either yet scared her more than she liked to admit.

"What I want to know is, why are we still alive?" Hachiro asked in bemusement, as Megumi moved to check Shougo for injuries. "Takeda has never slipped up like this."

The elder Muyo tried to wave off her concern but Megumi pinned him with a glare that said he would let her do her job or suffer the consequences.

"I don't know. But I don't think it was an accident." She replied as she set to work, healing Shougo's sprained ankle and the two cracked ribs she found. "For whatever reason he wants us alive."

Hachiro scoffed and gingerly pushed himself off the ground. "And I plan on making him regret that."

Megumi smiled hollowly as she finished with Shougo and regained her feet. "We can't take this lightly. We still have yet to find Tomoe-san and Akira-san."

"They haven't shown themselves yet?" Shougo asked in surprise as he rose and collected the still sleeping Sayo to his chest again.

"No, "Megumi admitted softly, "Which means they are most likely physically unable to come to us." She refused to put into words her true thoughts. If there was anyone Takeda would feel threatened by in his weakened state it would be those two. He must have been prepared for them from the very start.

A tiny flower of fear tried to blossom at the thought and she viciously stomped it down before setting off for the edge of the forest several yards away. "When we were attacked I saw them both flickering over here for cover. But after that I don't know what happened to them."

"I cannot see either one of them falling to Takeda, especially powerless as he is." Shougo said as he followed. "They are most likely tracking him and his mages as we speak."

"I'm with Shougo-san. Tomoe-san and Akira-san aren't that easy to take down." Hachiro added confidently.

Megumi dipped her head slightly in a halfhearted show of agreement, but held her tongue and simply continued on. Stepping into the shadows of the forest she was careful to watch her step as she slowly navigated the limb strewn ground. She wanted to believe that too but for some reason she couldn't. At the very least Tomoe would have come to them first to make sure they were all right. She would never leave them before knowing for sure whether they were alive or dead.

Her worst fears were confirmed when she finally caught sight of Akira lying face down in the blood-stained leaves littering the forest floor. Picking up her pace as much as she dared, she tried to ignore the icy chill that swept through her body and raced to his side. This wasn't right! There was no way he could have been taken down!

Heedless of her own pains, she dropped down beside the fallen man and desperately searched for some sign of life. Megumi started to panic when she found nothing and quickly, but gently turned him over.

Her eyes flew wide and she inhaled sharply as his wounds came into view. Ignoring the little voice insisting there was no hope, she immediately laid her hands on his chest, praying for a heartbeat. She nearly collapsed in relief when she felt a very faint beating beneath her shaking palm. Thank God…

But her relief was short lived as the gravity of his wounds finally sank in. The stab wound in his gut was barely bleeding but she knew that wasn't because of his body's natural healing. He had lost too much blood. To be honest she was stunned his heart was still beating. Right now her friend and mentor was walking a very fine line between life and death. The shock and heavy blood loss compounded by the scorch wound in his chest was going to kill him if she didn't get him back to the manor quickly. This was way too much for field healing.

"Megumi, over here!" Hachiro cried out suddenly. "I've found Tomoe-san!"

Megumi's head snapped up and she swung her attention to Hachiro, who was standing a few yards further into the woods. Her stomach clenched tight in fear at the sight of the Sanada's deathly pale face. Lurching to her feet she rushed to where he was standing, partially hidden by a large tree. Rounding the gnarled trunk herself, she gasped and fell to her knees. Oh Kami!

Unlike Akira, Tomoe's entire torso had been charred, the stab wound in her shoulder barely visible in the blackened skin. Swiftly grabbing the fallen woman's wrist, she checked for a pulse and nearly cried when she felt it. The faint beat, weak but steady, under her thumb confused her with the seriousness of the wounds Tomoe had suffered. Taking a closer look at the stab wound, she immediately understood why Tomoe looked worse than her husband but in truth was far better off. The amateurish and most likely unintentional cauterization of the adept's shoulder wound had saved her life.

Immensely relieved, Megumi set to work healing the wounds enough to make travel possible for the fallen mage.

"Who could have done this kind of damage to them?" asked Shougo from where he stood sentry beside Akira, "None of the rogue mages could have managed this."

Megumi swallowed nervously and kept her attention fixed on her work. Shougo didn't know how right he was. The first thing she had noticed was that the burn wounds both of them had suffered had not been made by elemental fire. Yet, all the remaining mages save for Kaoru were fire based. All but one. And he was supposed to be powerless!

"I don't know…" Megumi hedged, as she quickly finished with her friend and rose. It would be best to hold her tongue until they could question Tomoe and Akira themselves. But if what she suspected was true, they were all in a world of trouble.

Ignoring the flutter of fear whispering through her chest, Megumi motioned to Hachiro to gather the unconscious adept then headed back to Akira. "Right now that doesn't matter. We need to get them back to the manor."

"I don't think Akira-san will survive the trip." Shougo pointed out grimly, as she settled beside the deathly pale man.

Megumi didn't think so either which left her only one option. "I plan to teleport him myself."

A gasp came from behind her before Hachiro shouted, "You can't Megumi-san!"

"I have no choice!" Megumi retorted hotly. "Akira-san will die if I don't try!"

A thick silence fell at that and Megumi began mentally preparing herself for the jump. Hachiro was right, it was a dangerous move but she had no choice. In truth Tomoe was the only one who could successfully teleport long distances and even she couldn't take another with her. But Megumi had been studying and practicing just in case something like this ever happened. She had never gone this far with anything of substance but it didn't matter, she had to try. She wasn't going to let Akira die like this if she didn't have to.

"Do you have enough energy to attempt this?" Shougo inquired, clearly concerned.

A small humorless smile touched Megumi's lips as she hauled Akira's upper body into her lap and silently began to activate the intricate spell. "I hope so."

And without another word she and Akira shimmered for a brief moment, then were gone leaving Shougo and Hachiro to make their way back on foot with Tomoe and Sayo.

* * *

A warm, late morning breeze gently nudged at Kaoru's back as she leisurely made her way down the well worn path wending its way along the back wall of the keep. Tucking the loose strands of hair framing her face behind her ear, she smiled. It truly had turned out to be a beautiful day. Too beautiful in fact to take the nap she had originally planned on while the girls were at their lessons.

She scoffed softly under her breath, and glanced to the sun to check how much more time she still had. She was surprised to find that it almost midday already. Ayame and Suzume would be done soon. Damn, she'd taken too long enjoying the walk and now she didn't have the time to finish what she'd set out to do in the first place.

With a frown, she glanced to the tall oak still several feet away that hid the heavily weathered foot and handholds chipped into the wall she'd originally been aiming for. Should she go anyway just to make sure she knew what she was doing if the time ever came?

She sighed softly and shook her head before reluctantly heading back towards the keep. No, she couldn't, not today. Dr. Gensai had specifically requested she and Misao be present when the additional guard arrived sometime after lunch so the men would know them for who they really were. A good idea, but still…

A few minutes later, she reached the stables on the far side of the keep and made for the door that led into the keep's kitchens.

"Hey Sai, did you hear about the weird bird that came into the mews this morning?"

Surprised to hear the falconer's apprentice in the stables, Kaoru paused by the door and glanced in.

"How was I suppose to hear about that?" Came the stable boy's sarcastic reply. "I've been stuck in here all day cleaning horse shit thanks to you and your crazy idea of sneaking a ride on the guardians horses!"

Kaoru smiled to herself. She still couldn't believe those two had taken their stallions out for a joy ride. They were lucky they didn't get their heads split open, neither horse liked to be handled by anyone but she and Misao. With a chuckle she turned from the door and started for the kitchen entrance again.

"Well you should have seen it. It was the funniest looking hawk I've ever seen. A black face and bright blue eyes. It was carrying a piece of cloth but no message so Take-san chased it away."

That stopped her dead in her tracks. Azrael?!

An icy cold shiver of fear crawled up her spine. There was only one reason Azrael would have come here. Without so much as another breath Kaoru spun around and, within a heartbeat, was standing before the startled boys. "What color was the cloth?"

Both boys mouths dropped open at her seemingly instantaneous arrival but much to her irritation neither seemed able to answer. Kaoru clenched her fists to keep from throttling them and pinned the falconer's apprentice with a hard glare. "What color was the cloth?!" She demanded, quickly losing her patience.

The young apprentice must have sensed his impending peril because he finally stuttered, "R-red, guardian-san. I-it was red, like blood."

The blood froze in Kaoru's veins. Red meant danger and… run! Tomoe had told them to run! Which meant…

A block of lead instantly materialized in Kaoru's gut as urgent apprehension flooded her mind. She spun around and flew out of the stables, racing for the main hall where she desperately hoped they would all be by now. Shouts of alarm suddenly sounded in the front courtyard of the keep and Kaoru slowed for a brief moment but then decided against investigating. She had no time. She didn't even know how long it had been since the warning had come so in truth they may already be too late. Swallowing tightly at the thought, Kaoru hoped and prayed that wasn't the case and picked up her pace. She had to get Misao and the girls and get out of the keep before whoever Tomoe had warned them of struck.

Moments later, she bounded into the kitchens leaving the sounds behind and swiftly navigated the corridors to the main hall of the keep where the girls had decided they wanted to take lunch today. Reaching the chamber, she threw open the doors and thanked whoever was listening when she saw Misao, the girls and Dr. Gensai, along with several others she didn't recognize staring at her in varying degrees of alarm.

"Misao! We - "

But that was as far as she got when an arrow came whistling out of nowhere and, with a sickening thud, embedded itself into Dr. Gensai's chest. The world seemed to stop, the harsh sound of her own breath and heartbeat loud in her ears as Kaoru helplessly watched the elderly man she'd grown to love as a grandfather lurch in his seat. Shock on his face as his fingers lifted and plucked weakly at the shaft that pulsated several times to the heart it pierced. With an unheard exhalation he toppled over, the light in his eyes fading like the setting sun.

And then Ayame screamed. Time leapt forward again and the room erupted into chaos.

As one Dr. Gensai's guests surged to their feet and Kaoru swore as the sea of people came rushing towards her, trying to get away from the heavily armed men now flooding into the hall from the servant's entrance across the chamber. She did her best to ignore the screams of pain as many of them fell under blade and arrow, skirting around the throng before they could trap her in the entrance. An arrow whizzed past her head as she broke out of the crowd and Kaoru flinched as it thudded into the wall.

With a whispered spell, she quickly erected a simple shield to deflect two more arrows intent on turning her into a pin cushion and sprinted for the upturned table Misao had hidden behind with the girls. Another arrow chased her down the chamber and Kaoru cursed her inability to retaliate as she dodged to the side. But she couldn't take the risk, none of the attackers were mage born which meant this might not be Kanryuu. If they weren't his and she used the craft she'd give herself away.

Misao must have felt the same way because she stayed low until she saw Kaoru coming. With a meaningful glance to the men rushing down the hall towards her, Misao flicked her eyes to the small door in the back of the hall that led to a maze of corridors. Passages that one could easily get lost in if they didn't know the way. It was the perfect escape route.

Grasping at this flicker of hope, Kaoru gave her best friend a tiny nod of understanding and put on one last burst of speed as Misao grabbed Suzume and bolted for the door. Just as her braid vanished from sight Kaoru reached Ayame and she swooped down to grab the little girl. Lifting the child to her chest, Kaoru straightened as she bolted after Misao when three burly men suddenly came out of nowhere, blocking her escape.

Cursing viciously under her breath, Kaoru whirled around without missing a step and just barely managed to dodge another man's grab for her as she vaulted over the table. With speed born of desperation, she skirted several more grasping hands and raced down the center of the hall aiming for the main doors.

An angry growl tore through the overrun room. "Don't let them get away, you worthless rats! Takeda will have our heads if they escape!"

Kaoru gasped and nearly lost her footing on a downed guest's outstretched arm as the name slammed into her ears. And then she knew true fear when she felt the shield Sayo had constructed to keep out unknown mages shiver violently, then explode. A groan of pain ripped from her throat as her own connection to the shield backlashed, the mental agony it caused nearly driving her to her knees.

By sheer force of will Kaoru managed to stay on her feet as a wave of nausea ripped through her gut. Swiftly finding a path over and around the dead and dying lying in front of the doors she tried not to hear the groans of pain or see the glassy eyed stares of those who had already succumbed. Her own misery was instantly forgotten though when a frightened whimper reached her ears and she glanced down to see Ayame's eyes rounded in horror. Kaoru hissed softly and tucked the little girl's head snuggly against her shoulder to keep her from seeing any more.

"It's going to be okay honey, I promise," she whispered as convincingly as she could. But even she wasn't so sure they were going to get out of here anymore as the heavy tread of booted feet steadily closed in from behind.

Plus Kanryuu was coming… and he wasn't alone.

That thought was enough to make her stomach roll again in fear and she stumbled over the last few bodies before finally breaking out of the hall into the wide walkway. A discouraged hiss broke from her as she was brought to a dead stop at the sight of the line of rough looking men blocking the doorway to her right… her only means of escape. Deep down she knew it had been a long shot but that didn't lessen the overwhelming sense of hopelessness that nearly stole her breath away.

"You have nowhere to run, girl. Hand over the kid and we might let you live."

Kaoru scowled blackly and threw a glare over her shoulder at the man she assumed was the leader of this band of murderers. Then without a word, she spun around on light feet and bolted for the set of stairs at the other end of the walkway that led to the second level of the keep. This wasn't over yet! If she could get them to her room she could arm herself and hide. Then try to somehow get out of the keep without Kanryuu and his mages noticing.

She swallowed back a humorless chuckle at the absurd thought, there was no way she was getting out of here without him knowing. Powerless or no he was still way out of her league.

Taking the steps two at a time, she reached the landing in a matter of moments and sprinted down the blessedly empty hall that ran the width of the keep. Shouts of surprise and anger chased her down the hall, soon followed by the sound of several feet pounding across the floor below but by that time Kaoru had reached the hallway her room was located in.

She slowed enough to round the corner and raced to the last door. Flinging it open with her free hand, she dashed into her room and tried to set Ayame down so she could collect what she needed. But the traumatized little girl was having none of it and instead clung to her neck and shouted, "No! Don't leave me!"

Kaoru swallowed a sigh and gently untangled Ayame's arms from around her neck. Firmly lifting her chin, she gave the terrified little girl the calmest look she could. "I'm not going to leave you. Didn't Tomoe-sama set me to be your guardian?"

Ayame nibbled on her bottom lip and nodded. Kaoru could tell she was trying to keep from crying. "Then there is no way I'm going to leave without you. But I need to collect a couple of things that will help me get us out of here."

Ayame's chin trembled and Kaoru was sure she wasn't going to give in. But then she hesitantly took a miniscule step back. Relieved, Kaoru immediately jumped into action and spun around, rushing to the simple rosewood armoire against the far wall that held her clothes. Flinging the doors open, she reached in to the right and grabbed her blade then jammed it into her hakama belt. Now feeling a little bit safer, she spun back around and scanned the room. What else would they need?

She was jolted from her perusal when the sound of heavy footsteps pounding down the far hall reached her ears. They were closing in fast. Immediately giving up the search, Kaoru grabbed her cloak from the back of the chair in front of her desk and flung it onto her shoulders. Then leaned down and gathered Ayame into her arms again.

She scowled when she felt the tremors now wracking the little girl's body and cursed Kanryuu to the deepest pits of hell for what he'd done to these girls. Snuggling Ayame tight to her chest, she leaned down and whispered, "Ayame I need you to do something for me. I need you to snuggle as tight against me as you can and not make a sound, can you do that?"

With tears shimmering in the corner of her eyes, Ayame nodded, "Kaoru-neesan where's Ojii-san and Suzume? Are they okay?"

Kaoru's stomach hit the floor. Oh kami, not now. Desperately trying to ignore the footsteps still closing in quickly, Kaoru swallowed thickly and murmured, "Yes, honey, they're just fine. Suzume is with Misao going somewhere safe too, remember?"

The half-lie tasted bitter on her tongue and Kaoru silently cursed Kanryuu again for stealing Dr. Gensai away from them. Anxiously waiting for Ayame to ask about her grandfather again, she was relieved when instead the tremors wracking the little girl's body lessened somewhat. And then Kaoru heard the first sniffles as she finally gave into the tears that she'd staunchly held back until now. Hugging her close, Kaoru kissed her softly on the forehead, "Okay, sweetie, I need you to hug me tight now and don't make a sound."

A slight nod was her only answer as the little girl's arms snaked around her neck, the sniffles instantly muffled by her shirt. Kaoru didn't waste another moment. Wrapping the girl tight in the cloak, she immediately stilled her mind and silently called on the power swimming through her veins. Slowly she felt it rise up, answering her summons and she focused on taking the space around her and turning it into itself then folded it out to wrap around them disguising their presence. Casting a quick glance to the mirror above the desk to see if she'd succeeded, she hissed in irritation. Damn, she'd forgotten the hood.

Dropping the spell, she flung her hood up and focused her mind again. Her heart began pounding madly against her ribs when she heard her pursuers' heavy footsteps in the hall, followed by doors crashing open as they searched. They must not have noticed her door was already open, but that didn't mean they wouldn't.

Stomping down the sudden surge of panic that exploded through her entire body, Kaoru took a deep calming breath and bent the power around her again. A hair rising, tickling sensation whispered through her body again as the shield formed; hiding them both away from prying eyes. Glancing into the mirror again, she smiled in satisfaction. There was nothing but a slight shimmering where she and Ayame stood. Now all she needed was a clear exit and Kanryuu to remain ignorant of her ability.

A moment later a cry went up about her open door and Kaoru ducked behind the privacy screen situated in the corner of the room beside the door. Tucking herself into the very corner of the room, she hoped and prayed her luck held out and they'd go unnoticed. "Not a peep now, okay honey." She whispered softly into Ayame's ear. Her only answer was a miniscule nod and a slight tightening of the five year old's arms.

Then, less than a heartbeat later, the room was flooded with their pursuers. But instead of bypassing the seemingly empty room as they had before, they set to work destroying her room searching everywhere for any sign of her and Ayame. A knot of fear fisted in her gut and she hugged Ayame even tighter. Please, please, please let them be satisfied and leave. Her frayed nerves couldn't take much more of this.

"Where the hell did they go?!" One of the men suddenly shouted from right in front of the screen.

Kaoru nearly yelped in surprise. Slapping her free hand over her mouth, she watched his shadow begin to move away and then the screen was suddenly thrown to the side and she found herself staring into the stony black gaze of a heavily scarred, grisly looking man. A thin stream of sweat ran down her back as every muscle in her body went rigid. For one agonizingly long moment Kaoru simply stared into the man's eyes, praying to every god she could think of that the shield would hold. Because if it didn't they were both dead.

"Captain!"

The steely eyed man scowled blackly at the call, then spun around to see what his man wanted. Kaoru clenched her teeth against the sigh that tried to escape and sagged in relief as he walked away. Curious to see what could possibly have caught their attention, she leaned over enough to see past the retreating captain and nearly gasped when she saw the winged amulet Tomoe had given her swinging from the subordinate's beefy fist. Suddenly sick, she started to shake as the blood drained from her cheeks. Oh god how could she have forgotten that! She had just given herself away! Unless, by some stroke of luck they didn't know what it was or who it was from. However the next statement shattered that hope.

"So that Yukishiro bitch is in on it." The captain growled as he grabbed the amulet. "The boss is going to want to know about this." Turning to the rest of his men, he angrily bit out, "She's a craft user. We're not going to be able to find her."

Then with a vicious snarl, he fisted his hand around the amulet and stalked from the room, his men quickly following. Kaoru let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and buried her nose in Ayame's hair, trying to fight back the tears stinging her eyes. How could she be so stupid, now Kanryuu would know what she was. She'd never get out of here at this rate.

Taking a deep breath, Kaoru exhaled slowly in an effort to calm her shaking and swallowed back the tears burning her eyes. There was nothing she could do about it now. One way or another she would get them out. With one more steadying breath, she hesitantly made her way to the door and peeked out to make sure the coast was clear.

"Are the bad men gone Kaoru-neesan?"

Kaoru smiled weakly, "Yes honey, but we still have to get out of the keep so I need you to be very quiet. Okay?"

Ayame nodded and snuggled into her neck again. Tightening her hold on the little girl, Kaoru dug up the courage to keep going and silently stepped from the room. On light feet, she glided soundlessly down the hallways, intensely aware of every little sound. A few moments later she found herself at the head of the stairs again. Not for the first time, she wished this level had another exit, but unfortunately it didn't. Every nerve in her body was coiled tight as she listened intently for any sign of life below. Muffled voices could be heard coming from the direction of the main hall but as far as she could tell there was nothing but silence from the walkway she had to transverse.

Stomping down the part of her that still wanted to run and hide, Kaoru held Ayame close and cautiously slipped down the steps on silent feet before she lost her nerve. A relieved sigh spilled from her lips when she reached the ground floor and saw it free of people. Now all she needed to do was get past the hall and she just might make it out of here. Heartened by the thought, she slowly put one foot in front of the other aiming for the entryway directly across from her that would eventually lead to either the front of the keep or back towards the kitchens.

She'd only made it three steps into the walkway though when she was stopped dead in her tracks by a sudden roar of anger exploding from the hall.

"That bitch will not get away with this. I will have those girls!"

Kaoru's eyes flew wide and she shivered at the absolute malice dripping from the voice. Fighting the sudden explosion of fear ripping through her veins, she focused her entire attention on the entryway and forced her legs to move again. She could do this, freedom was only a couple of hallways away.

Unconsciously holding her breath, Kaoru quickened her steps as much as she dared and silently tiptoed closer and closer towards salvation. Within moments she had come up even with the main hall doors and she smiled, she was halfway there.

"Raijin, nullify every spell in the keep _now_!"

Kaoru froze in her tracks and gasped as her shield instantly dissolved, leaving her exposed to those in the hall. Stunned, she swung her head around and paled as her eyes clashed with the malevolent brown gaze leveled on her. The scowling, black haired man staring at her from the other side of the room was one she had never seen before but still knew on sight.

Takeda Kanryuu.

Oh gods, this couldn't be happening.

Without so much as another breath, Kaoru jumped into action and sprinted for the entryway. She was too close to getting Ayame out of here to give up now. Once past the opening, she hung a right and, with a short incantation, activated the charms filled with her essence that were set in various places throughout the keep. To those who were mageborn it would now seem as if she was everywhere at once. This Raijin person wouldn't be able to figure out which way she'd gone. At least for a little while. She was sure it wouldn't take long for Kanryuu's mage to see through her deception but hopefully by then she'd be clear of the keep.

In a matter of minutes she had weaved her way back to the kitchens with no one the wiser and found them blissfully empty. The kitchen staff must have run off when the band of mercenaries had first attacked because there was no sign of friend or foe, dead or alive.

Swiftly covering the distance to the closed door she'd entered through earlier, she tucked herself up against the wall and gently nudged it open with her foot. A light scuffling reached her ears through the crack and Kaoru hugged Ayame tight to her chest then leaned over far enough to scan the yard. To her left, she saw a heavily armed mountain of a man trudging out of the stable yard, presumably heading back to the main gate. With a quick glance to her right, she realized that he must have been the cause of the noise because as far as she could tell the rest of the yard was otherwise unoccupied.

With more patience than she actually had, Kaoru waited another minute or so to make sure the yard beyond would remain empty. When no other sign of life presented itself, she leaned down and whispered, "Okay, honey, were on the home stretch now. So keep quiet for just a little bit longer."

Once again a slight nod was her only answer and Kaoru smiled softly as she called up a shield to hide them from view again. She was truly surprised at how well Ayame was handling all of this so far. It was almost as if the little girl instinctively knew just how much danger they were in.

The tingling feeling flowed through her body again as the shield took hold and with one last steadying breath Kaoru finally stepped from her hiding place. Scanning both ways again, she debated on which way to go then headed towards the stables and the back of the keep. Most likely the main gate was being held by the enemy. But she was sure they had no idea there was somewhere else they could run to and hide.

Crossing the pebble strewn yard as quietly as possible, she soon came to the back end of the stables and leaned against the wall to try to gather what courage she could for the next part. But she'd barely had time to get settled when the heavy tread of booted feet suddenly sounded to her right.

"Takeda's going to have our heads for letting those two get away."

Startled, Kaoru slowly slid her eyes in the speaker's direction. She felt a cold sweat break out across her brow when she saw two grisly looking men armed with swords, steadily make their way across the yard from the main gates. Heading directly for her.

"I almost had her but then the little bitch scorched my hand. She's a craft user so he can't hold it against us." The other one replied gruffly. "He can go into town and find that screaming brat himself!"

His companion snorted at that as they came up even with her, the man closest too her passing barely a foot away from where she stood frozen. Then they moved on, hooking a right to swing around the back of the keep.

"Heh, you tell 'im that. If we're lucky the boss got the other kid. Maybe he …"

And that was the last Kaoru heard as they wandered further away. A sudden wave of intense relief weakened her knees and she leaned heavily against the weatherworn wood of the stables. Misao and Suzume had made it into town. She must be heading for the safe house down by the market. For a brief moment Kaoru toyed with the idea of heading there herself but then decided against it. Her safest bet was still getting over the back wall and finding her way back to the place Dr. Gensai had shown them yesterday.

Decision made, Kaoru leaned forward and scanned the well tended lawns leading to the back wall for any sign of the enemy. She could see a couple of men standing guard on the wall to her right several hundred yards away, but from here she couldn't tell if they were the keep's guards or Kanryuu's men. In all honesty it really didn't matter. Her own target, the huge sprawling oak she'd been heading for earlier, lay almost directly across from where she stood. Other than those two she saw no sign of any other people on or near the wall. Must be Takeda figured she'd head for the main gate and had set all his men to intercept her there. He would soon find that to be his biggest mistake.

With an evil smirk, Kaoru gathered every last bit of courage she could muster and hugged Ayame tight then took off at a dead run for the tree hiding their means of escape. Quickly closing the distance, Kaoru sped into the shadows of the tree and stopped behind the massive trunk where it stood a mere five feet away from the wall.

Panting heavily, she slumped against the massive trunk to catch her breath. Now all she needed to do was use the nearly undetectable ladder chipped into the wall in front of her and she and Ayame would be home free.

All of a sudden Kaoru's body went weak as the adrenaline that had driven her this far evaporated under the knowledge that their escape was finally at hand. With a bone weary sigh, she dropped the shield and slid down until she was crouching with Ayame in her lap; the hilt of her blade digging painfully into her ribs.

"Are you okay, Kaoru-neesan?" Ayame asked worriedly in a small voice.

Kaoru smiled as she adjusted the short sword and finally unwrapped the little girl enough to see her face. "Yes, honey. I'm just a little tired." With a nod towards the wall she murmured, "Our secret place is just over that wall and a little ways into the forest. Are you ready to go?"

Ayame's face brightened and she nodded, "The bad men won't find us right Kaoru-neesan?"

"Not if I can help it." Kaoru assured her as she finished disentangling the little girl and set her on her feet between the tree roots. "But first we have to get there and in order to do that I need you to ride on my back until we get to the other side of the wall. Can you do that?"

Ayame nodded enthusiastically, "Daddy always gave me piggy back rides."

Immediately a shadow passed over the little girl's face and Kaoru cursed Kanryuu for what seemed like the hundredth time. He really did deserve to die for what he'd done. And he would if she had anything to say about it.

"Well, then I think we better go before the bad men find us." Kaoru said brightly in an effort to get Ayame's mind off the loss. "Are you ready for that piggy back ride?"

The shadows instantly vanished and Kaoru smiled wistfully as she turned to present her back to the eager little girl. Ayame took immediate advantage and crawled up onto her. As soon as Ayame had settled herself Kaoru stood, pulling her short legs around in front and said, "I'm not going to be able to hold on to you because I have to climb the wall. So hold on tight."

"Okay!" Ayame chirped brightly as her arms and legs tightened.

Kaoru took a second to situate the hilt of her blade so it wouldn't hinder her or Ayame, then stepped up and grasped the first hand hold. She winced as the rough stone bit into her unprotected fingers but she forced the pain from her mind and quickly reached for the next, then the next and scaled the wall. Reaching the top, she gently eased herself onto her hands and knees along the top of the wall, then dropped soundlessly to the leaf strewn ground on the other side.

That was it, they were free!

A sudden rush of exhilaration nearly stole her breath away and she smiled wide as she gripped Ayame's legs and took off at a light run, following her senses to the place that even now she could feel deep in the forest.

But little did Kaoru know, her escape hadn't gone completely unnoticed.

* * *

From an upper level window of the keep, Takeda Kanryuu watched with narrowed eyes as his prey vanished into the shadows of the forest.

"Follow her." He said to the two men standing behind him, waiting patiently for instruction. They nodded as one and quickly left the room. Turning to the mage also awaiting his command, he continued, "She will tire quickly. Alert me as soon as she stops."

The mage dropped a hasty bow and headed out of the room to regroup with the mercenary soldiers who had just left. With a tiny smirk, Kanryuu turned back to the open window and stared at the last spot he'd seen the little mage and her ward.

She could run but she couldn't hide. No matter how hard she tried.

* * *

Thanks for reading. :)


	4. Hide and Seek

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 4 - Hide and Seek

Kaoru had only made it a short ways into the woods when the adrenaline she'd gained at their escape finally gave way beneath a bone deep, energy-sapping exhaustion. Stumbling over an exposed root, she winced as the stitch in her side protested sharply. This wasn't good. They weren't even halfway to the place they needed to be yet. At this rate it would take her forever to reach the small hillock she was aiming for.

Stumbling over another root, she clenched her teeth tight as the cramp painfully constricted her chest again. Jaw muscles taut as she inhaled sharply, Kaoru pressed her forearm against it the best she could without letting go of Ayame and continued to force one foot in front of the other in a broken run.

At least it seemed their escape had gone unnoticed. But she knew it wouldn't take long for Kanryuu to send his hired men into the forest looking for her. In this situation she could take little for granted.

A low lying branch suddenly caught her in the face and Kaoru hissed in pain, finally admitting defeat. She had to catch her breath if but for a moment. With an exhausted sigh, she abruptly dropped down and released Ayame's legs.

"Are we there, Kaoru-neesan?" The little girl asked as she scrambled off Kaoru's back.

Kaoru rubbed at the abused cheek and shook her head. "Not yet", she replied tiredly, falling backwards into a sitting position. "But I need to rest for a minute before we can keep going."

Ayame nodded and plopped down right beside her, "Okay!"

Kaoru couldn't help but smile as she wrapped an arm around the little girl. The child's unwavering disposition bolstered her own flagging spirits. A simple trust shone in that small face, a faith that warmed her.

They were going to be all right. All they needed to do was reach the ruins then wait for nightfall to head for the manor. Maybe they'd get lucky and run across Misao and Suzume somewhere along the way, since now she had no way of tracking her best friend. Her smile faltered at the thought and she exhaled softly. What worried her more though was the possibility that her hotheaded friend would try searching her out and find Kanryuu instead. She hoped and prayed Takeda would simply dump the necklace now that he knew what she was. Because she had no idea just what Misao would do if she ever came within striking distance of the man who had, through the shogun at the time, ordered the slaughter of her entire family.

She grimaced at the thought and released Ayame so she could rise. She really had screwed up there. Maybe, if she was lucky, she'd find Misao first. A sarcastic chuckle burned the back of her throat as she gained her feet and stretched cooling muscles. Now that was pushing it, nightfall was still a long way off and if she kept sitting here thinking about things she couldn't fix she was going to get caught anyway.

"Is it time to go, Kaoru-neesan?"

Kaoru glanced down with a smile and nodded, "We- "

But she got no further than that when the sound of snapping twigs off in the distance suddenly broke the quiet of the forest. Kaoru's eyes flew wide and she froze, unable to believe her ears. They couldn't be on her trail already! But another twig snapping proved her wrong and without another thought, she swung Ayame up into her arms and took off at a dead run again, hoping and praying they'd reach their hiding place before they were spotted. She knew all her hopes were for naught though when the pounding of heavy, booted feet crashing through the bracken picked up at the sound of her own panicked flight.

They weren't going to make it. They were still too far away.

Scowling at the self-defeating thought, she dug up the last reserves of energy she had, and literally flew through the trees, somehow missing all the grasping roots and low lying limbs as she passed. Her legs, lungs and side burned at the added abuse but she pushed on anyway. No matter what, she snarled mentally, they were going to make it!

The crashing behind her seemed to gain even more momentum and she cursed her luck as her own energy started to wan dangerously. Beyond exhausted, she didn't even notice as the ground beneath her feet started to gradually rise until it steepened enough to make her stumble and nearly fall to her knees.

Swearing softly under her breath, she threw out her free hand to steady herself on a tree and glanced up. A relieved smile split her face when she saw where they were. If she wasn't mistaken the ruins were on the top of this rise and just a little bit further into the woods. Taking a precious moment to focus her attention on the source of power she'd been following all along, she grinned wide. It was! She was almost there! With renewed vigor, she started scrambling up the hill the best she could with Ayame in her arms, and was just about halfway up the gentle slope when an arrow suddenly whistled by her head and thudded into the dirt barely three feet in front of her.

With a startled hiss, Kaoru stopped dead and spun around on the leaf strewn slope. A strangled yelp ripped from her throat as her feet suddenly slid out from underneath her and she went down hard; landing on her tailbone. Swallowing a cry of pain, she held Ayame tight and quickly dug in her heels to keep from sliding too far back down the hill as she grabbed a sapling to help halt their fall. Her arm snapped taut painfully, jerking at the shoulder, but it did the trick and she finally managed to stop their descent. Although she soon found that losing ground was the least of her worries.

Wincing slightly at the coarse bark biting into her hand, she hauled herself back up into a sitting position and paled at the sight of the two men now standing at the base of the slope, barely twenty feet away. One, the shorter and cleaner of the two, had another arrow already nocked and drawn, ready to take her in the chest if she so much as moved a finger. While the other, a tall, pock-faced man dressed in tattered hakama and kimono, eyed her with a triumphant grin that set her teeth on edge; his bow dangling negligently from a beefy hand. Their blades forgotten at their hips.

A bitter chuckle of irony itched to be released as she shook her head wearily. Figures. And she was so close. But all wasn't lost yet.

"It's no use girl." The rough looking one said with a sneer. "We'll feather you with arrows if you try to run again. Give us the kid."

Kaoru snorted under her breath, but before she could say anything a frightened whimper came from Ayame and instead she leaned down to nuzzle the little girl's head. "They can try but I promise you they can't hurt me, Ayame-chan," she whispered softly, in an effort to set the little girl at ease. And she was right, these two were obviously not mageborn so there was no way they could stop her. Especially not with the standard issue war arrows she could see filling their quivers.

A knowing smirk flashed across her lips and without a word, she called up the strongest shield she knew, then bounded to her feet and took off up the hill again. Almost immediately arrows started bouncing off the protection encircling them and she couldn't help but grin as she stumbled up the slope. Idiots. Had they never gone up against a mage before? Or had Kanryuu not bothered to tell them who they were up against?

But her confidence was soon destroyed when a fireball the size of her head suddenly crashed into the shield, nearly knocking her off her feet. Stunned by the sheer force of the impact, Kaoru stumbled sideways as Ayame shrieked in terror; the elemental fire exploding in a brilliant shower of searing heat and golden sparks. Desperately trying to remain on her feet, she hugged Ayame close to try to calm her and strengthened the dangerously wavering shield as much as she could.

Gasping, she lifted her head as the heat dissipated and glanced down to be sure her charge was unharmed. With a scowl she then swung her attention to the right, facing where the strike had come from.

The blood drained from her face when she spotted the dark haired, black clad man standing in the shifting shadows less than ten feet away. Another fireball danced in his hand casting a surreal glow across his well defined features, his black eyes seemingly lit with an internal fire.

Chilled to the bone, Kaoru felt herself begin to shake and she clenched her free hand into a fist to try to stop the trembling. A rogue mage. How could she have missed him! She knew the shield would hold indefinitely against arrows, but there was no way it could withstand against him. His kind were known for playing dirty, plus she just wasn't strong enough to hold off one of his caliber.

A sinister smile slowly slid across the mage's colorless lips as if he had somehow read her thoughts, and that was all it took to get her moving again. Strong enough or not she wasn't about to give up now, not when they were this close to salvation. Taking to her toes, she sprinted up the slope, leaning into her desperate lunge upwards. A half snarled, "Little bitch!" sounded into the forest, the crashing behind her signaling the advance of the two at the bottom of the rise.

Trying to ignore the unbridled fear pounding viciously through her veins, Kaoru focused all of her attention on climbing the bracken strewn hill without losing her footing again. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the fireball the mage had been toying with come flying at her. Straining muscles she just barely managed to dodge it as she crested the slope and stumbled onto even ground.

Scrambling to keep her balance without dropping Ayame, she quickly searched the area and nearly cried in relief when she caught sight of the weather beaten remains of the stone pillar that marked the grounds of the millennium old, now buried shrine. Without so much as a backward glance, Kaoru took off at a dead run again aiming for the small hillock she could now see in the middle of a small glade several yards away. She hadn't gotten very far though when she felt more than saw two more fireballs come flying at her.

She quickly side-stepped behind a tree and successfully avoided one but the second managed to catch her in the shoulder as she passed into the open again, the impact making her stumble hard. A startled cry came from the little girl in her arms and Kaoru clenched her teeth to hold back the cry of pain burning the back of her throat. Swiftly regaining her balance, she ignored the throbbing in her legs and pushed on through the thinning trees. She could now just barely make out the small piece of stone that marked the entrance to the sole remaining room of the long forgotten shrine. Although in truth she didn't need the marker the Takeshi's had left, because for some reason she could see the ancient magic that made the entrance blend into the hillside. A magic that even Misao hadn't been able to see or sense when they'd visited the day before. But that also meant that the mage following her wouldn't be able to see it either, a fact that gave her at least a small measure of hope.

But then Kaoru's eyes suddenly flew wide in horror and she nearly tripped over her own feet. The mage… following her…

Oh gods, she couldn't go into the ruins! Not yet! Not while she was still within sight of both the mage and his henchmen! If she did then they'd know exactly where she and Ayame were. And once inside they'd be trapped because there was only one way in and one way out of the small hideaway.

Which meant….

The blood drained from what felt like her entire body and Kaoru suddenly found it very hard to breathe. There was no choice, she had to turn and fight.

Her stomach rolled at the thought and she grimaced as she turned to the left enough to keep them within the tree cover. There was no way she was going to be able to take him on. Not and live through it. As if to prove her thoughts correct she saw another fireball come speeding towards her out of the corner of her eye, far larger and faster than the previous ones. So fast that she could tell that there was no way she was getting out of the way of this one. Bracing for the impact the best she could, she nearly echoed Ayame's scream as it slammed into them; the force of the elemental fire shattering the shield this time as it shoved her sideways into a thick gnarled tree trunk.

With a pain filled groan, Kaoru shook her head weakly and righted herself then finally took a second to see just how big of a lead she had on her pursuers. She was surprised to see all three of them still several yards away. The two mercenaries were only just reaching the top of the rise, and the mage she noticed seemed to be keeping his distance, instead lurking in the trees far off to her left. For a fleeting moment Kaoru eyed him wondering why he hadn't rush them yet, but then spun around and ducked behind the tree for cover. What did it matter? With his hesitation, he had just given her the precious seconds she needed to get them to the hillock unseen.

Quickly tossing the hood of her cloak up onto her head, she swiftly wrapped Ayame up again and bent her mind to activating the spell that would make them invisible. A heartbeat later she felt the magic dance over skin and she knew it had worked. Without so much as another breath, Kaoru headed for the hillock again, tiptoeing over the fallen leaves and twigs as silently as she could. But she'd only managed a couple of steps when she felt the shield vanish as it had in the keep.

"You didn't think I'd fall for that, did you?"

Kaoru froze as her stomach plummeted to the ground. Swinging her head to the right, she shivered at the malicious smirk the mage gave her. Oh gods, he must be a tracker. Only one of his kind would be able to see through the spell… and bring it down.

Her stomach knotted into a rock hard fist and she immediately back-pedaled behind the tree again. Mind racing to find any solution, she scowled fiercely. There truly was no choice, she was going to have to fight him.

Another wave of nausea struck her like a fist but she pushed it aside and quickly broke Ayame's death grip on her neck. Setting the terrified little girl on her feet, Kaoru swiftly unclasped her now worthless cloak and swung it from her shoulders to drape it around her ward. At least she could hide Ayame with it.

"Okay honey, I need you to do me a favor. I need you stay hidden behind this tree and don't make a sound until I come back for you. "

Ayame's eyes flew wide in terror and she tried to struggle out of the cloak. "No, Kaoru-neesan! You said we were going to the safe place!"

Holding tight to the frightened child, Kaoru forced Ayame to look at her and said, "We _are_ at the safe place but if the bad men see us go in we still won't be safe." Ayame's eyes widened even more in fear and Kaoru loosened her hold enough to hug her. "It's going to be okay, honey. All I have to do is chase them away, then we can go into the safe place. I promise."

A couple of sniffles and a weak nod were her only answer and Kaoru immediately set to work forming the cloak's shield. A moment later she pulled away and smiled at the faint shimmering now marking where Ayame stood. Gripping the little girl's upper arms, Kaoru pressed her back to the tree and urged her to crouch down between the roots, "Now you have to stay right here, honey." Another nod came but Kaoru still wasn't completely convinced that Ayame really understood the gravity of their situation. Breaking through the shield enough to meet the terrified gaze Ayame had fixed on her, she sternly added, "No matter what you might hear Ayame, you are not to move from this spot until I come get you. Do you understand?"

Ayame started to tremble as large tears formed in the corner of her eyes and Kaoru wondered if maybe she'd pushed too hard. But then, much to her intense relief, Ayame hunkered down even more between the roots and gave her a miniscule nod. On impulse, Kaoru dropped a soft kiss on the little girl's head. "Good. I'll be back as soon as I've chased them off."

Then, without another word, Kaoru sprang to her feet and bolted towards the last place she'd seen the mage, searching the thinning trees for some sign of the black clad man while she tapped into the small amount of power she still had. A faint movement caught her attention to her left and with a whispered word she launched a fireball in that direction hoping to take her enemy unawares.

A bone-chilling chuckle suddenly came from right behind her as her fireball crashed harmlessly into a tree and Kaoru had just enough time to spin around before a shot of pure energy crashed into her throwing her several feet back into the woods.

"You're actually going to fight me?" Came the mage's surprised inquiry.

Kaoru cried out in agony as she slammed into a tree bone-crushingly hard and crumbled to the ground in a heap. For a brief moment she just sat there wondering if she really was insane for even attempting this. But then Ayame and Suzume's smiling faces flashed before her eyes and Kaoru shoved the thought from her mind as she pushed to her feet.

"I may be young and inexperienced," She said softly, as she slowly rose with a barely suppressed groan. Her body aching from the nonstop abuse it had endured so far. "But I'm not going to let you or Takeda have that little girl."

The mage smirked at her bravado and Kaoru had to resist the urge to throw another fireball at him. It would be nothing but a waste of energy right now when he was expecting it. So instead she pushed her body to the limit and took off through the trees again in an attempt to try to knock him off balance a little bit.

As she had anticipated another sphere of energy chased her through the trees but missed as she suddenly hooked a right to head back towards him; her own hands already pulsing with barely contained power. As soon as he came into sight, Kaoru launched a fireball she knew he would avoid from her right hand but held a fist full of power trapped in her left until she saw him begin to move. Watching him like a hawk, she waited precious seconds to see which way he was going to go then let loose a crackling ball of fire from her left dead into his path. There was no way he could miss this strike.

And he didn't.

Caught completely off guard, the mage hissed in pain as the ball slammed into his shoulder when he turned to try to avoid the strike, stumbling back as the fire seared through his kimono and skin. For a brief moment Kaoru lost sight of him as her own momentum carried her past him and she immediately slowed as she instinctively called more fire into her hands in preparation of another strike.

But she never got a chance to use it because as soon as she turned to strike again she came face to face with the very angry man she'd hoped to attack. The scent of burnt flesh hanging heavy in the air around him.

"That hurt, bitch."

And then, before she could even gasp in surprise, he rammed a power filled fist directly into her chest. Kaoru exhaled in a rush as the air was forced from her lungs and she flew backwards out of the trees into the small glade housing the shrine remains. Slamming hard into the unforgiving ground, she inhaled sharply as she skidded a couple of more yards before coming to a stop. For several moments, she simply laid motionless trying to catch her breath and gather her wits again. Faintly she heard a frantic cry of her name but she ignored it and hoped and prayed Ayame would stay hidden. This would all be for nothing if they found her.

But it seemed the mage could care less about Ayame at the moment, because she heard snapping twigs heading her way through the haze of pain and she rolled her head enough to see him making his way out of the forest. Both of his hands already alight and ready to deal the finishing blow.

Beyond exhausted, Kaoru wearily watched him advance and tried to figure out what to do. If she kept going the way she was, he was going to kill her. That she knew without a doubt. She had to do something drastic or it was all over. She was sore tempted to use something besides fire against him but Tomoe had forbidden her to use any of the other four elements she alone could wield unless there was absolutely no other choice.

The mage soon broke out of the cover of the trees into the glade and Kaoru finally started levering herself up. There was one last thing she could do that was fire-based. One last spell that Tomoe had taught her and drilled her in mercilessly mere weeks before she'd left the manor. If she was lucky it would knock him out long enough for her to deal with the other two and escape into the shrine with Ayame.

Gaining her feet with a wince, Kaoru ignored the soul deep fatigue trying to drag her down and warily eyed the still advancing mage as she silently recited the incantation that primed her body for the flood of raw fire she would soon be consume by. A moment later a chill raced over her skin as the first stage took effect and Kaoru smiled tiredly as she whispered the single word that set the spell into motion, igniting the power flowing just beneath her flesh. Heat spilled through her veins as she continued pouring more power into the spell; mentally fanning the flames into a raging inferno until the fire bled from every pore in her body. Within moments her entire body was engulfed in the heatless flames and she smirked as she watched the mage's eyes grow wide.

He had underestimated her and now he knew it.

Kaoru's smirk grew into a full-fledged grin and before he could so much as blink she sent the flames racing towards him with a single thought; the wall of fire rushing at him flying faster than she'd ever seen him move. If she had calculated right, he wouldn't be able to get out of the way in time, no matter which direction he went.

For a brief, terrifying moment she was afraid he might actually escape the onslaught though when he propelled himself backwards to try to avoid the strike. But then the flames overtook him and she watched as he vanished into the fire, the sheer force of the elemental flames throwing him back into the forest where he slammed into a tree and crumbled to the ground.

A sudden wave of intense relief washed through Kaoru with a fury and she nearly crumbled to her knees as she stared at her downed enemy. It had worked. It had really worked! Elation lit her face, but she had no time to relish her victory because at that very moment two arrows came flying out of the trees, aiming dead at her.

Stunned, she could do nothing but watch as one flew by her head, missing her cheek by mere centimeters. While the other hit; scraping painfully across her left shoulder; cutting through the fabric of her kimono with ease and deep into her flesh.

With a hiss, she slapped a hand to the wound as two more arrows came flying at her, but before she could even think to dodge them they exploded in a bright orange flash of fire and fell from the air in a rain of ash.

"Go find the kid. She's mine."

Kaoru's stomach plummeted to the ground as the angry voice cut into the quiet glade and she swung her attention to the place she'd last seen the mage. She paled even more when she found him very much awake and now standing within the glade again; his clothes tattered and smoking, his flesh singed black.

Oh, gods. This couldn't be happening. That was the best she had!

A tiny malicious smirk curled the edge of the mage's lips and within the blink of an eye he was in front of her, his hand slamming into her chest hard enough to crack ribs. Kaoru gasped in pain as she stumbled back from the force of the blow and with no thought to the consequences of what she was about to do, she called on the lightning buried deep within her and blasted him as hard as she could dead in the chest.

If she could have she would have laughed at the stunned look he gave her as he pitched backwards. But instead she crumbled to her knees as her body finally gave out and, with an exhausted sigh, she hung her head. That was it, that was all she had.

But unfortunately it still wasn't enough.

Out of the corner of her eye Kaoru watched helplessly as the mage rose again and headed towards her, the charred wound in his chest making him wince with each step. She should have used the forbidden magic to begin with, then she might have won. A faint, humorless smile whispered across her lips as the mage grabbed a fist full of hair and hauled her to her feet before shifting his hold to her throat.

"I think Kanryuu might be interested in you, girl." He noted almost casually as he brought them nose to nose, the malicious look in his eyes making Kaoru shiver. "Lightning users alone are all but extinct and you can use both which is even more rare. He will be pleased to find you."

Kaoru went rigid at what he implied. No! She couldn't let Takeda know what she could do! No one was supposed to know!

A shot of adrenalin suddenly raced through her body and she desperately tried to call up enough power to strike at him again. But much to her dismay she found nothing but aching bones. Instead she started wrenching at the hand wrapped around her neck trying to break his tightening grip. Kaoru's blood ran cold as her captor grinned wide at her futile attempt and then she saw his free hand lift up to knock her unconscious.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the implications of what was about to happen flashed through her mind and before she even realized what she was doing, she grabbed the hilt of the nearly forgotten wakizashi at her hip, thumbing the blade from its sheath. Feeling vaguely disconnected from her actions, she instinctively spun the handle in her palm until the tip was aimed at her attacker and before she could even think about what she was doing she drove the blade into the mage's side as hard and as far as she possibly could. Sliding between the ribs and piercing his heart.

The man's eyes flew wide as he inhaled sharply and for a brief moment that seemed to last forever he simply stared at her in stunned silence as if surprised that he'd actually fallen to a simple blade. But then, ever so slowly, the grip on her neck loosened and he stumbled off the blade; quickly pressing a hand to his side in a vain attempt to stem the rush of blood pouring from the wound. With a soft exhalation of breath, he dropped to his knees in the puddle of blood forming at his feet and toppled over.

As if his fall was a signal, the world came crashing back into her and Kaoru started to retch as the feel of his blood cooling on her hand finally registered in her mind. Only years of training kept the bloodied wakizashi locked in her fist as she crumbled to her knees and fell forward; just barely catching herself before she went face first into the blood sprinkled grass. Clenching her teeth tight against the dry heaves wracking her body she desperately tried to blot out the metallic stench of blood hanging heavy in the air around her.

"_Kaoru-neesan_!"

Ayame's terrified shriek was like a bucket of cold water shocking Kaoru out of her misery and she snapped her head up, searching for the little girl. She nearly growled when she saw the smaller of the two mercenaries hauling the now cloakless Ayame out from behind the tree where she'd been hiding. Quickly swiping her hand and wakizashi over the grass to get the worst of the blood off, she jammed the blade into its sheath. A scowl twisted her features as she jumped to her feet and was just about to run after them when an arrow cut through the air right in front of her nose.

Stopped dead, Kaoru's scowl deepened as she whipped around to face the larger man busy sighting her in again and without thinking, she called on the power she already knew wouldn't answer. But much to her surprise, instead of feeling the emptiness like she had when facing the mage, she felt something deep inside of her answer the summons and took immediate advantage. With a sharp gesture she flung a bolt of lightning dead at him. Then, before she somehow lost the power she'd found, she rounded on the man still trying to drag Ayame away and lifted her hand; hoping and praying she still had enough to deal with this one too.

But it seemed her raised hand was threat enough because the man paled, eyes widened in terror, and immediately released Ayame. The sound of his now panicked flight through the trees headed back towards the keep. If she'd had the strength to Kaoru would have chuckled at his spinelessness, but instead she sighed tiredly and crouched down as Ayame raced towards her.

A moment later the little girl launched herself into Kaoru's awaiting arms and it took everything she had to keep from falling backwards as Ayame buried her face in her shoulder and started to sob. Ignoring the throbbing pain in her shoulder, Kaoru rubbed her back soothingly as she slowly rose to her feet and made her way back to the tree Ayame had hid behind to collect her cloak.

Once she had the cloak in hand, she checked to make sure the archer was definitely out before she headed back to the glade and their hiding place. She had just broken out of the trees again when Ayame's sobs began to lessen and she hugged the little girl tightly.

"It's going to be okay, honey." She whispered, as she passed the fallen mage and continued on to the hillock; ignoring the sick feeling curling in her stomach at the sight of her first kill. "Now we just have to hide until dark and then we'll set out to see Tomoe-sama, okay?"

Ayame sniffled and nodded weakly as Kaoru stopped before the hidden entrance. With one last reassuring hug Kaoru set the little girl down so they could enter the waist high opening leading into the enchanted room none but a chosen few had visited in nearly a thousand years.

"Come on, kiddo, we have to hide before that guy tells the rest of his friends where we are." She coaxed when Ayame made no move to enter. She had no doubt that Kanryuu would be here soon and there was no way she could deal with him now.

Ayame simply nodded and Kaoru's heart clenched when she saw the haunted look in the little girl's eyes before she vanished into the room. This was too much for a five year old to handle. Way too much.

With a bone weary sigh Kaoru felt what little bit of energy she'd managed to hold on to vanish and she followed Ayame into the dim chamber. Once inside she waited a moment for her eyes to adjust then settled down on the top step of the stairs Isao-san had built, her back to the wall so she could still see beyond the ancient magic shielding them. Reaching down she gathered Ayame into her arms. They may be safe in here but she wanted to be able to see danger coming if it did somehow find them.

Now all she needed to do was stay awake until sunset and all would be well. And that, she was afraid, was going to be the hardest part.

* * *

Takeda Kanryuu couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was he really surrounded by idiots? First they lose one in the city and now this?

Leveling a baleful glare on the quivering pile of flesh at his feet, he bit back a frustrated growl. "Are you trying to tell me that some weak little apprentice mage somehow managed to kill Raijin?"

The pale-faced mercenary kept his attention trained on the floor and dipped his head once.

At his wits end, Kanryuu balled his hand into a power-filled fist and slammed it as hard as he could into the mercenary's head, not caring whether he killed the worthless maggot or not.

Then, before the man even hit the floor, he spoke the single word that would send him to Raijin's side. For one gut wrenching moment the world seemed to turn inside out and then he was standing in what seemed to be a small glade of what he assumed to be the forest behind the keep.

Glancing down to his feet he scowled darkly at the undeniable evidence proving the mercenary's words true as toed the unmoving mage. Raijin lay burned and battered in a pool of his own blood, the still seeping wound in his side the obvious cause of the mage's death.

He had severely underestimated Yukishiro Tomoe. He hadn't expected nor been prepared for mageborn guardians. And now thanks to her interference he had lost the chance to get his hands on those girls today. Right now he had no choice but to leave Kiyosu empty-handed because the additional guard he'd delayed would be arriving within the next couple of hours. And if he stayed he ran the risk of alerting the shogun's regents of his involvement in the attack. Not something he was willing to do while trying to ingratiate himself into their good graces.

Kanryuu nearly snarled as a sudden surge of unbridled rage exploded through his veins and he sent a searing bolt of lightning into the body at his feet. Thanks to that bitch this had all been for nothing!

A faint noise that sounded suspiciously like a strangled gasp suddenly cut through his anger and Kanryuu spun around with narrowed eyes searching for the source of the sound. Catching sight of the hillock he hadn't noticed until now, he searched the forest beyond for any sign of his elusive prey and slowly made his way across the sun-filled glade. He frowned when he found nothing out of the ordinary in the trees. Turning his attention to the strange mound, he slowly circled it inspecting closely for any indication that someone had been hiding there within the last few moments or so. But much to his irritation he found nothing but undisturbed shin high grass and he started to think that maybe he'd been hearing things.

But no sooner had the thought crossed his mind then he heard a rustling in the forest behind him and he snapped his head around hoping to find the kid and her guardian.

He scowled blackly when he instead caught sight of the other mercenary he'd sent after the brat, who was just beginning to rise from where he must have landed, felled by a girl half his size. Without a second thought, Kanryuu flung a bolt of lightning dead at the incompetent fool to finish him off. He had no use for idiots. Next time he would take matters into his own hands from the very start.

Quickly scanning the area one more time before he jumped back to the keep, he smiled. And there _would_ be a next time because now that they knew they were no longer safe in Kiyosu, they would have no choice but to leave. And he had every intention of catching them as soon as they did.

* * *

Late afternoon had come and gone by the time Kenshin and Aoshi left the elderly farmer at his family's home. Politely declining to take a meal there, they made their way through the quiet streets of Kiyosu towards the keep. A frown touched his face as the fact there was no one out and about surrounded them. Something had happened. The sense of foreboding that had been dogging Kenshin all day seemed to intensify with each step closer to the unmanned gates still several yards away and he absently picked up his pace till he was near running.

Something was wrong. He could feel it deep in his bones.

Moments later, he and Aoshi reached the partially ajar gate and with more force than was necessary Kenshin shoved it open to reveal a sight he had hoped he wouldn't see. The courtyard beyond was alive with activity as a string of men dressed in the shogun's colors carried bodies from the keep; laying them with utmost care in a neat line to the right of the main doors.

Suddenly sick, Kenshin hurried to where the bodies were being laid out and anxiously searched for any or all of the remaining Takeshi family members. A heartfelt sigh of relief escape his lips when he found none of them among the men and women lying in the fading sunlight.

At that moment two men stepped from the keep with another body between them that they added to the growing line and Kenshin stopped the one dressed in the Takeshi family's colors before he could follow his partner back into the keep. "Take-san, what happened here?"

The head falconer let out a bone weary sigh and scrubbed a hand over his face. "I don't know. I was in town buying feed for the birds and when I came back everyone was dead."

Kenshin felt his stomach plummet to his feet. "What of Ayame and Suzume and their caretakers? Gensai-sensei? Are they among the dead too?"

A stricken look passed over the middle aged man's face and Kenshin's blood went cold. "I don't know but they say the worst is in the main hall. I- I haven't been there myself."

Kenshin ignored the fist of fear knotting in his gut and without another word took off into the keep; quickly navigating the maze of hallways that led to the main hall. Within moments he was striding into the wide walkway the main hall emptied into with Aoshi following close behind. Almost immediately the stench of blood and death assaulted his nose and he covered it with his sleeve as he stepped aside to let a pair of guards by with the body of a middle aged woman he remembered seeing during his last visit several months ago.

Scowling at the senseless death, Kenshin prepared himself for the worst and stepped into the partially cleared hall. The first thing he noticed was the small pools of blood dotting the floor right in front of the doors and he carefully picked his way past the congealing mess. Quickly scanning the rest of the room for the Takeshi family, he felt a tiny shred of hope start to blossom in his chest when at first he found nothing but friends of the family. But then he finally caught sight of Dr. Gensai and he paled as he shot to the back of the room where the elderly man lay on his side in a pool of his own blood. He knew there was no hope though as soon as he reached the ashen faced man and saw the wound in his chest. The older man had likely died moments after the blow.

Biting back a growl, Kenshin swore bitterly under his breath. If only he'd gotten here sooner he may have been able to stop this from happening. But there was nothing he could do about it now. All he could hope was that the guardians Tomoe had sent had been able to protect Ayame and Suzume. At the thought of the two little girls, Kenshin turned his attention from the dead and started searching for clues to what may have happened to the guardians and their charges.

A faint twinkling caught his attention as he scanned the area near the small door at the back of the hall and he stepped around Dr. Gensai to get a better look. What he found made his blood run cold again.

With a sigh, he leaned down and carefully lifted the small wing-shaped pendant, frowning at the misshapen wings. The once pristine set of wings were now bent almost all the way into the center of the pendant. But what he truly found odd was it looked as if the wings had been softened by an intense heat before they were bent in, no stress marks or cracks in the shiny metal marred its surface.

Kenshin exhaled softly and shook his head as he fisted his hand around the ruined pendant. But all that really didn't matter, because now he had evidence that something had happened to at least one of Tomoe's apprentice mages. As he had feared, they'd been too late.

Suddenly a fist-sized fireball came flying out of nowhere and sped past his nose, so close that he felt the heat of its passing. Startled he back stepped as an angry shriek tore through the silence of the room.

"_Where is she_!?"

Stunned, Kenshin spun around to face his attacker and immediately had to dodge another attack as the diminutive young woman standing in the doorway flung another fireball at him, shouting "What the hell did you do with Kaoru!?"

Kenshin's eyes flew wide and he muttered, "Kaoru…?" at the exact same moment that his companion called out, "Misao?"

The irritated young woman froze at the name and Kenshin would have chuckled at the stunned look on the angry, green-eyed mage's face if the situation wasn't so serious.

Then, much to his surprise, said girl's expression did a complete roundabout and she grinned wide and exclaimed, "Aoshi-sama! What are you doing here!?"

A faint smile touched his usually stoic companion's face before Aoshi smoothly replied, "I could ask the same of you."

If it was possible Misao's grin grew even wider and she rushed into the room, avoiding the devastation on the floor with ease. "Tomoe-sama sent me and my best friend, Kaoru, to be Suzume and Ayame's guardians." she answered easily, coming up to stand beside Aoshi. But then she must have remembered why they were all there and her grin vanished as she rounded on Kenshin with narrowed eyes. "Who are you anyway? And where is Kaoru?!"

Kenshin blinked, surprised to find himself still a suspect. "Yukishiro-san asked me to come and assist you two, should the need arise," he calmly replied. "As to your friend Kaoru, she was already gone when we arrived. All I found was this on the floor," he finished as he held out the damaged pendant.

Misao paled at the sight of the ruined wings and took the amulet gently from his outstretched hand. "Then where is she? Tae-san said Takeda doesn't have her and if she wasn't captured then where did she go?"

"Takeda Kanryuu did this?" Aoshi asked suddenly, ignoring her questions.

Misao's face darkened. "I didn't personally see him but Tae-san and Sae-san's informant told me it was him. He had another mage with him who took down the shield." she replied, the hard edge in her voice a far cry from her earlier chipperness.

Aoshi's face darkened at the information but before either of them could continue with their conversation, Kenshin asked, "Where are the girls?"

Misao glanced at him and sighed. "Suzume's with me at the safe house in the city, but Ayame was with Kaoru. We both ran when the keep was attacked and I thought Kaoru was right behind me but for some reason she wasn't, and she never showed up at the Akabeko."

"Is there another safe house or something like it that she could have gone to?" Kenshin pressed, now becoming even more worried. He couldn't let Takeda Kanryuu of all people get his hands on either one of them.

Misao frowned and shook her head. "Gensai-sensei only told us about the Akabeko."

Kenshin exhaled softly and tried to remember if he'd ever heard Azumi, Isao or Dr. Gensai mention anywhere else she might have run to.

"Wait! That's right!" Misao suddenly shouted, startling him from his thoughts. "There's this place out in the woods that Dr. Gensai showed us yesterday. It was a room of some sort, buried in the ground that was supposed to be a part of an ancient shrine or something."

Kenshin immediately recognized the description. Isao-san had once shown him that very place during one an earlier visit to the keep.

"The entrance to it is hidden by some kind of magic even I couldn't see or feel," Misao continued excitedly, "But if you know how to get inside then no one would be able to see you. I bet she took Ayame there." Then, before he or Aoshi could react in any way, the young mage spun around to head for the door. "I'm going to go find her."

"No" Kenshin instantly threw out a hand to grab her shoulder before she could take a step. "We can't leave Suzume without your protection. You should go back to the Akabeko."

In the blink of an eye, Misao spun on him and growled, "I'm not going to leave Kaoru out there with Kanryuu on the loose! She's my best friend!"

Kenshin weathered her outburst then nodded in understanding. "I won't either. But for now it would be better for you to go back to Suzume."

Misao scowled blackly and looked ready to continue arguing when Aoshi spoke up. "Kanryuu may no longer be in Kiyosu, but that doesn't mean he hasn't set people to take advantage of any lapse in the child's protection."

Misao cut him an icy glare as her face darkened even more and for a moment, Kenshin thought she would ignore Aoshi's warning. But then she finally sighed and gave in, "Fine. I'll go back, but you guys have to go look then."

Kenshin swallowed a sigh of relief. "It won't take both of us," he said, as he started for the doorway. "I know the place. If she's there I'll bring her back to the Akabeko. You two take care of Suzume and wait for me there."

Then, before either could argue, he headed out of the hall into the silent corridors. It didn't take him long to make his way out of the keep and across the neatly trimmed lawns to the great oak against the back wall. Striding into the shade of the sprawling tree, he was just about to begin climbing the makeshift ladder when he noticed the dark grey scuff marks leading up the wall. Marks that could only have been made by hard soled boots. Proof that if she had come this way she hadn't gone unnoticed.

Kenshin's stomach twisted painfully as he quickly scaled the wall and dropped down to the other side. As soon as his feet touched the ground he took off into the darkening forest at a ground eating lope. He still couldn't believe Tomoe had risked Kaoru like this? Who knew what would happen if Takeda Kanryuu ever got his hands on her. In truth he'd never actually met the girl thanks to his inability to cross the shield protecting the Yukishiro manor. But he knew from what Tomoe had confided in him over the years that the young woman was nothing like the rest of the mages. She was in a class all her own. Tomoe must have been desperate to send her here where she would be easily seen by someone like Kanryuu.

The land began to rise under his feet and Kenshin shook off the thoughts as he slowed and turned his attention to the gentle slope leading away from him. His blood turned to ice in his veins when he spotted the arrow shaft sticking out of the ground about halfway up. They had caught up to her here.

Without so much as another breath, Kenshin sprinted up the hill afraid of what he might find when he reached the top. Eyes scanning the ground as he went, searching for any sign or clue, as he reached the summit. Much to his intense relief he found nothing but trampled ground and he followed the wide path the men had broken in the underbrush, heading towards the small glade he could now see several yards away. Within moments he broke out of the forest and was stopped dead in his tracks by the sight of the burned and battered man lying motionless in the space between him and the hillock he'd been aiming for.

Quickly scanning the area to make sure he was alone, Kenshin cautiously made his way towards the downed man; his senses tuned to catch anything out of the ordinary. A moment later he reached the man's side and knelt down to test for a pulse even though he knew there was no chance.

As he had expected he found none and instead turned his attention to the wounds that had led to the man's death. It was then that he caught sight of the tiny circular mark at the base of the man's neck, where it met his left shoulder. Pulling the man's shirt back enough to see the full tattoo Kenshin frowned. This was no ordinary man, he was a mage. A rather high ranking one too if that mark was what he thought it was. Shifting his attention to the mage's torso, he shook his head in wonder. And if the scorch and burn wounds were telling the truth, Kaoru had taken on this mage, and beaten him. Although he had a sneaking suspicion that the killing blow had come from the stab wound in the mage's side and not any of the magical attacks marking his body.

"_Ken-niiii_!"

Kenshin nearly jumped out of his skin as the familiar name echoed throughout the quiet glade and he whipped his head up to find the source of the call. His eyes flew wide as Ayame suddenly burst from the hillock and raced towards him as if the dragon god himself was hot on her heels. A sudden wave of intense relief washed though him and he quickly stepped over the body of the mage just in time to catch the little girl as she launched herself into his arms.

"Kaoru-neesan won't wake up, Ken-nii!" She cried as soon as he had a hold of her, the clear terror in her face making him pause. "She said if she fell asleep that I had to wake her up but she won't wake up! "

Kenshin tried to ignore the sinking feeling settling into the pit of his stomach and soothingly rubbed her back in an effort to calm her down as he started for the hillock housing the ancient room. "I'm sure Kaoru-neesan is just really tired and can't wake up," he assured her; hoping and praying they weren't just empty words.

"But the bad men hurt her a lot." Ayame muttered in disbelief, as huge tears welled in the corner of her eyes. "She was bleeding too."

"I'm sure she's okay, kiddo. Tomoe-san told me she's a tough cookie." Kenshin said reassuringly as he quickly covered the last few feet to the stone marking the entrance to the enchanted room. Kneeling down in front of the seemingly unbroken hillside, Kenshin set Ayame on her feet and reached a hand out as if he was attempting to touch the hill. He inwardly smiled as his hand instead vanished into the grassy hillside. Glancing to Ayame, he smiled, "I'll be right back. So don't move."

The little girl simply nodded and Kenshin turned his attention back to the shield and leaned forward, letting the spell swallow him as he made his way into the room. He'd only managed to get his upper body into the entrance though when he was brought up short by the sight of the young woman he'd come to find leaning precariously against the wall along the top step; very much alive but clearly unconscious.

Somewhat relieved, Kenshin shifted himself enough so that he was sitting on his hip within the confines of the entrance and turned his attention to figuring out how to get her out of here without disturbing her too much. But then the curiosity he'd held off for years now got the better of him and he slowly reached out to place his fingers on her far cheek to turn her face towards him. The urge to take his first look at the girl Tomoe had given her freedom up for too much to ignore.

But he never got the chance to finish the move because at the exact same moment his fingers came into contact with Kaoru's soft flesh, a triumphant roar ripped through his mind; the sheer force of the primal call making him go rigid in surprise. Then, almost as quickly as it had come, the roar suddenly faded out and Kenshin slumped heavily against the opposite wall and simply stared at the young woman still sleeping peacefully across from him. What the hell…?!

"Ken-nii?"

Kenshin started at the call and wearily shook his head to clear his mind. He had never, in all of his years traveling, run across a sound quite like that. Looking down at his hand he pondered. It had been almost terrifying in its ferocity. With a sigh he glanced over his shoulder where he could see Ayame just beyond the shield looking at the hill anxiously. He'd have to figure it out later. Right now he had more important things to worry about.

"I'm okay, Ayame-chan," he called out before she had a chance to get scared. "I'll be out with Kaoru-neesan in just a minute."

"Oh…okay…" Came Ayame's reply and Kenshin smiled as he worked himself back up into a crouch then reached out to gather the sleeping mage to his chest, half expecting something else to happen. Hesitantly touching her again, he scoffed at himself when nothing did, and gently eased her upper body towards him until he had all but pulled her into his lap and then slowly started backing out of the small opening into the fading sunlight.

In a matter of moments he had guided Kaoru out of the bespelled hill and he gently laid her down so he could check her for injuries. Ayame immediately plopped down on the other side of her and hesitantly reached out to touch Kaoru's bangs.

"Is Kaoru-neesan okay, Ken-nii?"

Kenshin gave the little girl the best smile he could and nodded, "She's going to be just fine once we get her back to town. But first I need to check to make sure it's safe for me to carry her."

Ayame's eyes brightened and Kenshin hoped he wasn't lying as he set to work checking the young woman for injuries. But he soon found that his worry was unfounded, at least partially. Outwardly she didn't seem to have suffered nearly as bad as he'd feared she would against a high ranking mage. As far as he could tell the only flesh wound she had taken was a nasty gash across her upper left arm that had already begun to close, although it would likely need to be reopened and stitched later. That wound must be what Ayame had been talking about when she'd said Kaoru was bleeding.

His eyebrows creased slightly as he scanned her again, more closely this time. Other than that he couldn't see anything that would be life threatening, leaving the only reason for her unconsciousness to be exhaustion which made him feel a whole lot better. But that didn't mean she didn't have internal injuries. Unfortunately he couldn't tell that without her conscious so he would simply have to be extra careful carrying her.

Satisfied that it was fairly safe to move her, Kenshin removed the blood-stained wakizashi at her hip and tucked it into his own belt next his sword. Then he slowly slid his arms beneath her shoulders and knees and gently lifted her to his chest; being careful not to jostle her too much as he cradled her in his arms and stood.

"Okay kiddo. Time to go." he said, as he adjusted Kaoru so her head fell softly against his shoulder. The scent of jasmine filled his nose as her forehead came to rest against the side of his neck, and he smiled as the pleasant scent overcame the smell of blood and burnt cloth lingering around her.

"Are we going back to see Ojii-san now?" Ayame asked innocently as she jumped to her feet. "He was hurt real bad too, but if Kaoru-neesan's okay then he must be too."

Kenshin inwardly winced as his chest tighten painfully. "No sprite. We're going to see Tae-san right now," he replied, in a light voice as he started across the glade towards the keep. Hoping she'd accept that and let the matter drop. He didn't think he was the best person to break that kind of news to the already fragile five year old. The little girl's world was destroyed enough as it was. Best to get her somewhere safe and with others they knew before dealing with the aftermath of the day.

"Tae-san!" Ayame piped up excitedly as she took off after him, clearly forgetting about her grandfather for the time being. "Oh, I can't wait to see her!"

Kenshin breathed a silent sigh of relief as he turned his attention to leading them out of the forest; only half listening as she continued to chatter on about anything and everything now that she felt safe.

Carefully picking his way through the trees and over fallen limbs, Kenshin had only made it about halfway back to the keep when he finally noticed that the ever present throbbing in his scarred cheek that he had grown accustomed to over the last few days was gone. Startled, he immediately flexed the left side of his face to make sure he wasn't mistaken and tried to think back to the last time he remembered feeling it. But the best he could come up with was during his search for the two now with him.

And then it dawned on him and he glanced to the young woman sleeping in his arms. No, the very last time had could remember was mere moments before he'd been assaulted by the soul shaking roar when he'd touched her. Absently tightening his hold on Kaoru, he frowned as the sense of foreboding he thought gone came back tenfold.

Something very strange had happened today. What it was he couldn't say, but deep down he knew that whatever it was had everything to do with the girl in his arms.

But what he didn't realize was that it had everything to do with him too.

* * *

… And circumstances have finally brought them together :D

Thanks for reading.


	5. Time to Breathe

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 5 - Time to Breathe

It was well past sunset by the time the Sekihara house finally settled down enough for Kenshin to find his way back to the small, windowless room where he'd left Kaoru in the hands of the local healer earlier in the evening. Taking the steps two at a time to the second floor, he quietly started down the hardwood hall towards the end room where the gently flickering silhouette of a lone candle shown against the opaque shoji screen.

The aged healer had left an hour before after tending to Kaoru's shoulder wound and the four cracked ribs she'd found during her inspection of the unconscious mage's severely bruised torso. He frowned at the memory of the angry reddish-blue mottled skin he'd glimpsed above her breast bindings before he'd been chased from the room. Damage he hadn't even thought to look for before he'd carried her from the woods.

According to the healer her entire back and chest were covered with the nasty bruises, as if she had been repeatedly battered from all sides. Before she'd left the elderly woman had assured them that Kaoru would be just fine, if sore, when she awoke but that still didn't set him at ease. Those bruises proved she had endured hits even the most seasoned of mages would find hard to ignore. He would feel much better if Takani-san were here tending to her instead. The elderly healer was good, but she wasn't mageborn and there were so many complications that could arise from the severity of Kaoru's wounds.

A muffled, hiccup-laced sniffle caught his attention as he came up beside the only other door in the hall and he paused outside the room where Ayame and Suzume now slept with Misao and Aoshi both standing guard.

With a weary sigh, Kenshin glanced to the darkened shoji as another sniffle sounded into the quiet. Kaoru wasn't the only one who had suffered today. Those two little girls had been through more in one day than any their age should ever have to endure at all. His chest tightened at the thought and not for the first time he wished he could have somehow made it here before the attack, then maybe they wouldn't have had to witness the loss of their only remaining blood relative. At three years old Suzume didn't really understand what had happened today. But Ayame...

Stifling another sigh, he continued on at a slower pace. Thanks to the death of their parents, barely two weeks before, Ayame knew even at the tender age of five what it meant when someone died. She'd been nearly inconsolable when Tae had broken the news to her that Dr. Gensai was gone now as well. Suzume, sensing her sister's distress even if she didn't understand, had been just as upset. They had clung to Tae and Sae as if their very lives had depended on it, until they'd finally cried themselves into a fitful sleep.

A grim tautness ghosted across Kenshin's lips as he came to the room housing Kaoru and, with one last glance over his shoulder, he silently slid the door back and stepped inside. The sad part was their trials were far from over. They were still in danger and would continue to be until Takeda Kanryuu was finally dead.

Sliding the panel closed behind him with a nearly inaudible click, Kenshin dropped his attention to the deathly pale woman resting on the futon in the middle of the floor. Silently he padded to her side. The soft candlelight illuminating the room flickered fitfully from its perch on a low table above her head where a small water-filled pitcher, an empty stoneware cup and the pain-numbing powder the healer had left also rested waiting for her to wake.

With a soft sigh, Kenshin removed the small blade tucked into his hakama and smoothly dropped down to sit cross-legged beside the unconscious mage. Ayame and Suzume weren't the only ones in danger either. If Takeda ever found out about what Kaoru could do he would do everything in his power to get his hands on her. Power hungry to a fault, the former black mage would see her ability to wield elements, long believed to be wiped out, as the perfect tool, especially considering his lack. That was something Kenshin wasn't going to let happen if he could at all help it.

With a small self-mocking smile, he continued to watch the candlelight play across her pale features. Unfortunately even he didn't know all there was to know about this young woman, which was going to make things more difficult. For the most part he understood why Tomoe had always been reticent when speaking about Kaoru, but right now he really wished he knew more about this enigma he had to keep safe. Especially considering his scar's reaction to the wakizashi she'd been carrying.

At the thought, Kenshin let his attention drift from Kaoru to the sheathed blade in his hand. Why she had this relic in her possession was beyond him. As far as he knew almost everything from the time of the Ancients had been destroyed for fear that they might somehow aid the dragon god's release, even if there was no longer an Ancient to wield them. He knew the Yukishiro family had somehow salvaged and passed down a couple of items from that time as keepsakes and heirlooms but he never thought he'd see one outside of the shield, or within the hands of a mere apprentice mage. Yet another reason why he wished he knew more about this young woman's origins.

Smiling ruefully, Kenshin thumbed the blade from its sheath with practiced ease and pulled it out enough to reveal about two inches of the pristine metal. He wasn't the least bit surprised to see the soft blue glow emanating from the unsheathed blade, or feel the instant burning in his left cheek as his scar split and started to weep blood. It had been like this earlier too, the entire time he'd been cleaning the blade. The burning sensation intensified and he quickly slid it back into the sheath before his scar opened completely, then gently dabbed at the wetness on his cheek with his sleeve. It had taken him nearly two hours to finish the cleaning thanks to that.

But what he found thoroughly perplexing was the act itself. Why would his scar react in such a way from a simple blade, ancient or not? I didn't make any sense at all.

Exhaling softly, he absently rubbed his thumb along the well-worn sheath. It was a strange piece indeed. One that, if he wasn't misreading the kanji inscribed along the blade at the hilt, had once belonged to the Kamiya family. One of the pivotal clan of mages that had helped seal Ryujin away all those centuries ago.

A soft knock roused him from his thoughts and Kenshin glanced over his shoulder just as Tae's older sister Sae slid the door open.

"Would you like me to ready you a room, Himura-san?"

Kenshin smiled and shook his head, "No. I think I'll stay here in case she wakes during the night."

Sae dipped her head in understanding and glanced to Kaoru. "Has she stirred at all?"

Kenshin sighed and returned his attention to Kaoru, "Not yet. I doubt she will before tomorrow at the earliest."

"Would you like me to bring you anything?" Sae asked after a moment.

Kenshin shook his head again, "No. I'm fine. Thank you."

There was a soft scraping of the door closing and he found himself once again alone with the sleeping mage. Stifling a yawn he moved back until he was resting against one of the wall supports and settled in for the night. All he wanted right now was for Kaoru to wake so he could begin to piece together the puzzle that was her.

A task he found he was beginning to anticipate more and more with each new discovery.

* * *

The first thing Kaoru became aware of as she slowly rose up out of unconsciousness was the sense of floating in a vast sea of emptiness. The darkness surrounding her was absolute. There was no light, no sound. As if…

As if she was dead…

A jolt of gut-wrenching fear rocked her to the very core of her being and the world around her, as if responding to her need for the tangible, immediately began to lighten revealing a surreal, fog enshrouded meadow. A meadow she soon recognized as being the one just behind the Yukishiro manor. Feeling somewhat calmer by the familiar sight she began to relax, wondering if maybe she was just dreaming. She soon had to question that theory though when she saw the image of a child racing towards her, slowly materializing out of thin air. It only took her a heartbeat to realize who the child was.

"_Kaoru-neesan! Did you see me? I did a cartwheel!"_

A sudden sense of déjà vu nearly stole Kaoru's breath away and she simply stared in stunned silence at the continuously shifting figure of the four year old Ayame. The memory of that day, just a year ago, coming back full force. This couldn't be a dream.

"_Come on Kaoru-neesan! You do it too!"_

Unable to move, Kaoru could only watch in horrified fascination as Ayame reached out for her hand as she had that day wondering if she'd actually be able to feel the little girl's touch. But she felt nothing as Ayame's incorporeal hand effortlessly passed through hers and she shivered as if she'd just been touched by a ghost.

Kaoru's breath hitched painfully in her throat. … A ghost… then, did that mean she had failed?

Another shock of fear shook Kaoru's very soul; the meadow and Ayame wavering dangerously before becoming semi solid again. Desperately wanting to know if that was the truth she unconsciously reached for Ayame even though she knew it would do no good and was surprised to find the little girl now halfway across the meadow; her arm outstretched as if she was holding someone's hand.

Now thoroughly confused Kaoru made to run after her but quickly found she couldn't move a muscle. With a frustrated growl, she was just about to call out to Ayame instead when the space shimmering beside the little girl began to coalesce into the person who was holding her hand. The blood froze in her veins at the sight and Kaoru suddenly found it very hard to breathe.

Takeda Kanryuu turned his head just enough to glance over his shoulder at her; the sinister smile twisting his face highlighted by the sudden surge of power he fed and held in his unoccupied hand. The growing sphere of death mere inches from Ayame's young flesh. Kaoru strained to cry out, to snatch Ayame away, as panic thrummed in time with her heartbeat. And then his smile widened into a feral grin, eye glinting in malevolent glee as the power in his hand pulsed once before he drove it into Ayame. The little girl's screams suddenly filled the meadow.

Horrified, Kaoru frantically threw herself forward against whatever was holding her with every ounce of energy she had; her hand outstretched in desperation.

"_Ayame!"_

Pain unlike anything she'd ever felt before exploded through Kaoru's chest at the movement, wrenching her into complete wakefulness and she nearly screamed as white hot agony ripped through her entire torso. Wide-eyed, she pressed a hand to her bandaged chest, gasping for breath as tears blurred her vision; barely noticing the door of the room being flung open.

"Kaoru! Thank kami, you're finally awake!" Misao screeched, as she stumbled over the threshold and collapsed in a heap beside the futon.

Immensely relieved to find it had all been a dream, Kaoru glanced to her best friend and gave her a weak smile as the intense pain in her chest and back slowly began to recede. "Ayame?" she managed to croak when she'd finally reclaimed enough breath to speak.

Misao gave her an odd look and shrugged. "She's - "

But that was as far she got when the child in question came bursting into the room. "Kaoru-neesan!" Ayame shrieked, making a beeline straight for her.

Misao deftly caught the little girl before she could tackle Kaoru to the futon and inflict more damage. "Careful kiddo, Kaoru's still hurt."

Ayame's eyes flew wide, immediately filling with tears, and she flung her arms around Misao's neck instead and hugged her tight. Beyond confused Kaoru gave her friend a questioning look.

"You've been out for the last three and a half days." Misao said in answer as she soothingly rubbed Ayame's back. "We were all starting to think you were never going to wake up."

Surprised, Kaoru mumbled, "Three days...?"

Misao nodded. "Yeah. And Ayame here was sure you were going to die on her too."

"You're not going to die like Ojii-san right, Kaoru-neesan?" Ayame asked in a small voice, peeking out from where she had her face buried in Misao's neck.

The clear anxiety in the little girl's chestnut brown eyes made Kaoru's chest muscles clench and she winced as her wounds protested the aggravation. Ignoring the persistent throb pulsing through her torso, she gingerly leaned over enough to ruffle the child's hair. "Not if I can help it, honey."

Ayame smiled brightly but it didn't quite reach her eyes and once again Kaoru cursed Kanryuu to the deepest pits of hell. Death would be too kind for that man, eternal damnation suited his deeds so much better.

Misao gave Ayame one last squeeze before she loosened her arms enough for the little girl to get up and said, "Hey sprite, how about you go tell Tae-san that our patient is awake."

Ayame's smile became more genuine and she bounced out of Misao's lap with a gleeful "Okay!", and sprinted from the room.

Kaoru chuckled softly at her lightning fast roundabout and immediately regretted it when the action caused a particularly painful twinge to rip through her chest. Wincing, she gently rubbed the sore muscles and glanced to Misao, "What happened to me? I feel like I've been trampled by a dozen horses."

Misao glared at her and snorted caustically. "What? You don't remember the rogue mage?"

Kaoru inwardly flinched at the sharp tone, but she knew her friend's sarcasm was nothing more than a weak attempt to hide her obvious worry. She couldn't blame her, she would have been the same way had Misao been the one to face off with one of them.

Exhaling softly, she gingerly worked her way around until she could lean against the wall in an attempt to relieve a little of the pressure that sitting up was putting on her battered body. "Yes, I remember him, but I didn't hurt like this when it was all over. Did something else happen?"

Misao continued to glared at her for a moment longer then sighed and shook her head as she reached for a small pitcher and the other items on the low table Kaoru hadn't noticed until now. "I have no idea. All I know is that you have four cracked ribs, your chest and back look like someone took a club to you, repeatedly."

Surprised, Kaoru glanced down to the bandages peeking out of the top of the pale green yukata she was wearing and noticed the bruised skin above the stark white cloth. Had the hits really been that hard? Another twinge pinched her painfully and she grimaced, must be. But she'd had no choice, it was a fight she couldn't have avoided no matter how much she had wanted to. And one she would much rather not repeat anytime soon.

Misao snapped her fingers and Kaoru glanced up to find a small stoneware cup held out to her. "Drink this. The healer said it will take some of the pain away. Won't help the ribs but… "

With a grateful smile, Kaoru accepted the cup and quickly drained the contents. Setting the empty cup back onto the table she asked, "How did I get here? And where exactly is here?"

"Himura carried you here from the shrine. And here, " She continued with a wave of her hand before Kaoru could inquire about this Himura, "is Tae-san and Sae-san's house. We're right behind the Akabeko."

The soft padding of several feet coming down the hall signaled the arrival of others and Kaoru momentarily forgot about her savior as Tae stepped into the room with a relieved smile and a laden tray. Ayame and Suzume both hot on her heels.

"Kaoru-nee!" Suzume squealed in delight when she spied her against the wall.

Kaoru smiled at the beaming child. "Hi Suzume-chan."

Suzume seemed to take that as an invitation because she immediately started toddling across the room before anyone could stop her. Still too soon for the medicine to have begun working, Kaoru braced herself for the oncoming pain but much to her intense relief Tae came to her rescue.

"Wait, Suzume-chan." She called out to the little girl. "Kaoru-san is still hurt, so you can't touch her just yet."

Suzume stumbled to a stop as her face fell and Kaoru was almost sure she was going to start crying.

"It's okay, Suzu-chan. We'll be able to hug Kaoru-neesan soon." Ayame piped up cheerily, grabbing her little sister's hand. And thankfully it seemed that was enough because the little girl glanced to her sister and grinned, "Soon!"

"Ayame-chan, would you take Suzume downstairs to Sae-san for me please?"

Ayame smiled brightly, the obvious pride of being given what she saw as a grown up task shining in her eyes. "Okay, Tae-san." And without another word she disappeared out the door with Suzume in tow.

Once they were gone, Tae exhaled softly and gave Kaoru a warm smile. "They've been very worried about you, Kaoru-san. We all have." She said as she bent to place the tray's contents on the table. "I've brought you some fresh water and bread. I'm sure you must be hungry after so long with nothing to eat."

Kaoru tried not to wrinkle her nose at the prospect and ignored the faint touch of nausea curling in her belly at the smell of the warm bread. She had absolutely no appetite thanks to the constant throb in her chest and back. "Thanks, Tae-san. And I'm sorry for making you worry. Though I have to admit that if I had known I was going to wake to this," she murmured indicating her bandaged chest. "I would have stayed asleep. At least until the bruises had healed."

Tae smiled in understanding. Misao scoffed softly then smirked, "Then next time don't take on a rogue mage."

Kaoru grinned tiredly, "Trust me, I have no intention of ever doing that again if I can at all help it." But unfortunately she had a feeling this was only the beginning. She was sure that by the time this was all over they would both likely be facing them again.

"I should head back downstairs and help Sae prepare for the evening meals." Tae said, as she stepped towards the open shoji with the now empty tray tucked under her arm. "If you need anything else just let myself or Sae know."

Kaoru nodded her understanding and Tae vanished through the door, leaving just the two of them again. Gingerly lifting herself away from the wall to move back to the futon, Kaoru was pleased to find that the insistent pain she'd awoken to had finally begun to dull.

"You need any help?" Misao asked.

Kaoru shook her head. "No, it seems that whatever you gave me is starting to work." Easing over to the thick cushion, she sighed gratefully as she seated herself. "Too bad Megumi-san isn't here. She'd have these bruises taken care of in no time."

A faint shadow passed through Misao's eyes but Kaoru didn't catch it because she suddenly remembered something else concerning the healer. "Hey Misao? Are our bags here?"

Misao gave her an odd look and motioned to the far corner of her room. "Yeah, yours are right there. Why?"

Glancing to where Misao indicated, Kaoru grinned and slowly leaned over, snagging the handle of the smaller bag with her finger. A simple tug had the bag in her lap and she eagerly started pawing though the contents intent on finding the small jar Megumi had given her just before they'd left the manor.

"Megumi-san gave me something she said would help quicken the healing of minor injuries. Ah here it is!" Kaoru exclaimed as she lifted a dark green, pear-shaped earthenware jar from the bag and showed it to Misao. "I don't know if it will help my ribs but it should help the bruising."

Misao's eyes widened and she reached for the jar. "Why didn't you tell me you had this! I could have been using this on you all along!"

Kaoru shrugged then hissed softly as her chest pinched. Although not quite as sharp the pain was still there, hopefully that stuff would work. "She gave it to me two days before we left and I forgot about it once I had it packed."

"Well, at least we have it. The sooner you get better the quicker we can get out of Kiyosu." Misao muttered, as she leaned over to slide the shoji door shut for privacy.

Kaoru's hands stilled on her sash and she gave Misao a questioning look, "Why? What's happened since the attack?"

"Nothing yet. But who knows..." Misao replied offhandedly with a shrug as she worked off the metal band binding the rawhide lid on the jar. A faint minty smell permeated the room as she lifted the hide and set the two pieces aside.

Kaoru's eyes narrowed at the decidedly vague answer but before she could question Misao further, the younger mage gave her a pointed look. "Are you going to undress so we can get this stuff on you or what?"

Kaoru scowled but held her tongue and set to work loosening the yukata so she could slip the material off her shoulders. Once she had her upper body free of the soft cloth she pulled her hair over her shoulder and braided it into a tight rope as she eyed the bandages wrapped around her torso. Okay... now what? As far as she could tell there was no way to begin unraveling the pristine cloth.

"It's back here," Misao said as she moved around to sit behind her. A moment later Kaoru saw Misao's hand come around on her right side with the end of the bandage. Reaching her arm across to accept the piece, Kaoru stiffened as a biting pain shot through her chest and back.

"Do you want me to finish?"

With an irritated sigh, Kaoru nodded her head. "Talk about helpless, huh?" It irked her that she couldn't even do this small task.

Misao snorted at her sarcastic tone and continued to free her discolored skin. "Not helpless... injured. You should be happy you're still alive after meeting a rogue."

A hollow smile toyed with the edge of Kaoru's lips, "But he's not..."

"It was either you or him!" Misao bit out harshly as she tugged the cloth completely loose. "Don't feel guilty for saving your own life."

Kaoru winced as the bandage pulled on her damaged skin before coming free. She couldn't help feeling guilty. Deep down she knew what she'd done had been unavoidable to keep Kanryuu from finding out about her and keep Ayame safe, but that still didn't make her feel any better. She hoped and prayed she'd never have to face that decision again.

"Where's Kanryuu? Is he still in Kiyosu?" She asked in an effort to change the subject.

For a long moment nothing but silence met her questions and she could almost feel Misao's pointed glare burning into the back of her head. Kaoru was sure she'd press the issue, her friend had never been one to let something like this go. But much to her surprise Misao relented with a sigh and gently started rubbing the salve into her abused back. "No. But Himura-san and Aoshi-sama think he's still somewhere close, waiting for us to leave."

Kaoru nearly purred as the salve immediately soothed her damaged skin, the pain all but vanishing where Misao had applied it. And then it hit her who Misao had mentioned and she glanced over her shoulder in surprise, "Shinomori-san is here! I thought he was in Edo with the shogun."

A faint blush pinked Misao's cheeks and she smiled. "The shogun's regents sent him on a mission that he said led him here."

Kaoru grinned to herself and absently reached for a slice of the warm bread Tae had left and started nibbling on it. For as long as Kaoru had known her, Misao had borne an infatuation for Shinomori Aoshi. Actually for Misao she was sure it was much more than that and she had a sneaking suspicion Aoshi thought of Misao as more than just a friend or charge too. Granted she'd only met the man twice, the first being several years ago when Misao had first come to the manor to live. And then again a year ago when he'd come to the manor check on her. But she still couldn't shake the feeling that he was only waiting for her to finish growing up.

"What about this Himura-san? Who is he?"

Misao's hands slowed for a brief moment then went back to rubbing in the salve. "He says he's a friend of Tomoe-sama's. I don't know about that though, I've never met him before, even when I went beyond the shield with Tomoe-sama. And she's never said anything about him before that I can remember." Misao snorted. "But he must be someone trustworthy or Aoshi-sama wouldn't be with him. Plus Ayame and Suzume know him well enough to call him 'Ken-nii', so he can't be an enemy of the family."

Kaoru wasn't sure if she believed that but for now she couldn't say anything since she'd never even met the man. And he _had_ rescued her from the forest so he at least deserved the benefit of the doubt.

One final swipe came along her lower back just as a wide yawn pulled Kaoru from her thoughts and then the jar popped into her peripheral vision.

"Here, your back is done. Does it feel better?"

Kaoru flexed her back muscles a little to see and was relieved to find all the pain now concentrated in her chest. A huge smile spread across her lips. "Much better. I wonder what Megumi-san put in that?"

"I don't think I really want to know." Misao said as she moved around to sit across from her again. "Do you want me to do the front too?"

Kaoru finished off the piece of bread in her hand then accepted the jar. "No, I think I can handle this."

Misao shrugged. "Do you want me to go ask Tae-san for some more bread then?"

Surprised by the question Kaoru stilled her fingers mere inches from the salve and glanced up to the plate that had once held the small loaf of bread, which was now completely empty. Her eyebrows creased. Did she eat all that! Was that why she was feeling tired, because her stomach was full?

With a crooked smile, Kaoru shook her head. "No, that's alright. I can't believe I ate _that_ much."

Misao shrugged again as if to say suit yourself and Kaoru turned her attention back to the task at hand. Collecting a generous amount of the salve onto her first two fingers she gently started applying the soothing ointment to the black and blue flesh between her breasts and slowly worked her way out from there. Almost instantly the pain began to dull and she nearly sighed in relief but instead was seized by another yawn.

"Don't tell me you're tired already." Misao grouched halfheartedly with a grin. "You've slept long enough!"

Kaoru smirked. "I can't help it. Now that I don't hurt so much I'm starting to get tired. Maybe it's the bread." She added with a shrug as she finished tending her battered skin. Handing the jar back to Misao she lifted the bandages they'd removed. "Do you think we should put these back on?"

Misao cocked her head to the side then shrugged, "I have no idea. But I don't think it would hurt if you do. Might be safer for your ribs too. We don't need them breaking in your sleep somehow."

Kaoru clenched her teeth against another yawn and nodded her agreement. Misao gave her a sympathetic smile as she moved to help her rewrap the bandage. "I suppose we better get this done before you fall asleep sitting up."

Kaoru smiled tiredly before it was wiped away by the yawn she'd held off. Shaking off the heavy weight settling on her shoulders she murmured, "Maybe I'll get lucky and the bruising will be gone by the time I wake up next."

Misao snorted, rewrapping the soft white cloth with Kaoru's help. "Knowing Megumi-san it just might be. If we're really lucky your ribs will heal too."

"That might be a little too optimistic." Kaoru said with a wince as she pulled the bandage tight and handed it off to Misao for another round. "They still hurt when I do that or yawn." Accepting the bandage again she did her part and handed it off. "I'll be happy if the bruises stop throbbing at least."

Misao hummed her agreement, "Can't blame you there."

A couple more passes finished the task and Kaoru gently pulled her yukata back onto her shoulders as Misao settled back out of her way and recapped the jar. Straightening the neckline, she tightened the belt then gratefully sank into the futon. Another jaw cracking inhalation made her wince as her ribs protested the aggravation and she shifted around until she was comfortable again.

"Sure you don't need me to get you anything?" Misao asked as she set the jar on the table and gathered the empty plate.

Kaoru could only shake her head, too tired to say anything.

Misao snorted lightly and mumbled, "Still can't believe you're going back to sleep on me."

A faint smile touched Kaoru's lips as she started drifting off; the sound of Misao's retreating footsteps the last thing she heard before sleep claimed her.

* * *

Night had fallen once again by the time Kaoru found herself slowly being drawn out of the darkness by a rhythmic scraping of metal over stone, the ache she'd awoken to the earlier partially reasserting itself as she became more aware. For several moments, she simply laid still listening to the familiar sound wondering if maybe she could ignore the pain and go back to sleep.

Unfortunately her chest decided to remind her with a rather sharp jab that laying on her side wasn't such a good idea and she winced as she gently rolled onto her back. She knew it had been too much to hope for Megumi's magic salve to heal her ribs too. But at least it seemed it had done its work with the bruises. So far the only pain she felt was from the area where she assumed her cracked bones were. At least she still had the medicine Misao had given her earlier. Maybe that would help. With a soft sigh, Kaoru blinked her eyes open to the now candlelit room. She wouldn't know unless she tried, right?

For a few moments longer she didn't move, content to simply watch the weak light dance playfully along the ceiling and absently wondered just how late it was now. But then another faint twinge reminded her why she was awake and she finally eased herself up into a sitting position as the rhythmic passes continued somewhere beyond her room. Finding a comfortable position, she took a second to see if she could pinpoint the source and nearly jumped when she saw the flickering silhouette of a person crouching over what she assumed to be the whetstone just beyond her closed shoji.

Surprised and just a little bit scared now, Kaoru took a moment to get herself back together then softly called out, "Hello?"

The figure's movements immediately stilled and Kaoru unconsciously tensed as the person glanced to the door.

"Yukishiro-san?"

Kaoru froze at the unfamiliar male voice. Who…? But then it finally dawned on her what he'd called her and her eyebrows creased in confusion. Yukishiro-san? Who did he think she was, Tomoe?

"Um… no." Kaoru replied awkwardly. "I'm not a Yukishiro. My family name is Kamiya. Who are you?"

The illuminated figure stiffened as if surprised by her answer and then turned even more towards the door, his earlier task seemingly forgotten. "My name is Himura Kenshin. I'm a friend of Tomoe-dono's." He paused for a moment then asked, "May I come in Kamiya-san? It's a bit awkward to be talking to you through the door."

An odd sensation that Kaoru couldn't quite identify flowed through her chest but she ignored it and glanced down, adjusting the yukata so she was fully covered before calling out, "I-I guess." To be honest she was curious to meet this Himura-san who was supposedly friends with her mentor.

A moment later the candle that had been illuminating him was doused, then the door to her room slowly slid back to reveal the man behind the voice. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of his long, fiery red hair; the length held back loosely in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. But all thoughts of his odd hair color quickly vanished when he slid the door closed behind him and glanced up at her. Soft violet eyes unlike anything she'd ever seen before took her in as he padded silently across the room and settled down beside the futon, barely three feet away.

"It's good to see you awake, Kamiya-san."

Kaoru tried to ignore the odd sensation his voice caused again and simply dipped her head in acknowledgment as she surreptitiously shifted a few inches away from him in hopes that the added distance would somehow calm her now racing heart. A faint smile touched his lips at her actions and she fought off the blush trying to blossom on her cheeks. But as much as she was unnerved by his continued scrutiny, she couldn't help but eye him back just as intently.

Red hair and violet eyes. A blend she never thought she'd ever see on a person native to their homeland. Yet his handsome features proved that he was of Asian descent, odd coloring or not. And he _was_ handsome although unlike most of the men she'd met who had more chiseled features, this man's were softer more refined. The scar running lengthwise down his left cheek didn't seem to harden his features either like it would the others, but instead seemed to accent them.

With a start, Kaoru realized where her thoughts were wandering off to and she couldn't stop the blush from rising to her cheeks this time. Beyond embarrassed, she scowled at herself and finally asked, "Why did you call me Yukishiro-san before?"

Kenshin smiled again and shrugged. "Tomoe-dono told me you had been adopted by her family so I assumed you would also take their name. If you don't mind my asking how did you come to be named Kamiya?"

Kaoru found herself relaxing somewhat at his friendly manner and easily replied, "Tomoe-sama says that when they found me abandoned the only thing I had besides the clothes I was wearing was a blade strapped crosswise along my back." Glancing around for the wakizashi she hadn't thought of until now she started to panic when she found no sign of the blade and was just about to crawl over to where her bags to see if it was there when Kenshin softly said, "Do you mean this one?"

Kaoru swung her attention to the familiar sheathed blade he now held out to her, her eyebrow cocked in confusion. Why would he have it?

Shrugging off the question, she reached out with a slightly trembling hand to collect it but hesitated for a brief moment mere inches from the blade unsure if she wanted to reclaim that which had taken the life of the mage. Steeling herself against the nagging remorse she still felt, she forced her fingers to wrap around the well worn sheath and lifted it from his hand. "How did you get this?"

Kenshin exhaled softly then smiled. "I removed it from you before I carried you out of the woods. It has since been cleaned," he added reassuringly.

Kaoru smiled weakly at his attempt to put her at ease. "Well anyway, they found this with me," she continued softly, "and along the blade just above the hilt is the kanji for Kamiya which they believed to be my family name. So I'm a Kamiya instead of a Yukishiro."

Kenshin's eyes narrowed minutely when she finished her explanation, his easy manner quickly disappearing beneath a soul searching, mind probing look that made her want to squirm in her seat. Confused by his sudden change she met him stare for stare, stubbornly refusing to be intimidated, and waited for him to say whatever it was he wanted to say. But when the silence continued to stretch it occurred to her that maybe he didn't believe her. Now that irritated her a little bit, she had no reason to lie. At least not about _that_.

With a frown she thumbed the blade from the sheath with practiced ease to show him the proof; completely forgetting the fact if he had cleaned the blade then he had probably already seen the inscription.

All thoughts of wanting to prove her words true were banished though the moment the blade slipped free from the sheath and she noticed the alien, soft blue glow emanating from it in her peripheral vision. Stunned she stared at the exposed blade. What...?

A pain-filled hiss broke into her musings and she glanced to the red head sitting across from her and was surprised to see him clutching his scarred cheek, the scowl darkening his features making her pause.

"Does it always glow blue like that?" Kenshin asked between clenched teeth.

Still too shocked to form a coherent reply Kaoru simply shook her head no and glanced back to the blade. Why was it glowing like that? Another agonizing hiss came, soon followed by Kenshin wrapping his hand around hers and guiding the blade back into the sheath. Kaoru froze at his warm touch, the odd sensation she'd ignored earlier coming back tenfold and now centered along the back of her hand.

"Forgive me," Kenshin murmured as he released her hand. "But for some reason that blade opens my scar."

For a long moment Kaoru simply stared at the hand he'd touched until what he'd said finally sank in. Then she glanced back up to the cheek he'd been holding and noticed the trail of blood running down his face before he wiped it away; the scar now an angry red. Curious as to why that would be she absently leaned forward to wipe away a spot he had missed under his chin and immediately regretted the action as her damaged ribs vehemently protested the abuse.

Thankfully Kenshin grabbed her shoulders as she gasped loudly and tipped sideways, the clear worry in his eyes almost making her smile. "Are you okay?"

Kaoru eased herself back slowly and sighed. "Yeah, I just forgot that I'm not as healed as I'd like to be."

Kenshin smirked at her obvious irritation and released her once she found a comfortable, stable position. "I think it would be best if I woke Misao-dono now like she asked."

"Wake Misao?" Kaoru inquired, clearly confused. "Why?"

"Because she believed you would need more of Megumi-san's salve." Kenshin replied softly as he rose and started for the door. "And it would seem she was right. If you're hungry I could also retrieve the onigiri Sae-san prepared for you earlier."

Kaoru's mouth dropped open at his quick action. "Wait! " She exclaimed just as he was about to slide the shoji open. "You haven't told me how you know Tomoe-sama yet! Or why you're even here to begin with!"

Kenshin stopped and glanced over his shoulder, the grin teasing his lips making her blush. "I'm not going anywhere, Kamiya-san. I promise there will be plenty of time for us to talk again. But for now it would be best if you were made comfortable. Would you like that onigiri?"

Abashed, Kaoru clamped her mouth shut and simply nodded. Kenshin gave her one last smile before he slid the door back and stepped out, closing it soundly behind him. It was a good thing they still had time because there was a lot more she'd like to know about that man.

But what she didn't know was that just beyond the door said man paused, having similar thoughts.

With a secret smile Kenshin glanced back to the figure silhouetted against the shoji. She was far more than just a puzzle now. If what she said was true then he now had even more reason to keep Kanryuu from getting his hands on her. But there was one thing he still didn't quite understand. If she was indeed a member of the long dead Kamiya family then how had she come to be in the first place? As far as he, and everyone else in the known world knew, the Ancients had vanished centuries ago.

With a soft sigh, Kenshin shook his head at the unanswerable question and started down the dim hallway. She also lacked the defining trait of the female Ancients. The women of that race had always been blue-eyed and her vivid green ones were anything but. That in itself made him question the validity of her story, but that didn't answer why Tomoe's parents had given her the name when they too knew of the Kamiya family's true history.

Kenshin exhaled tiredly as he started down the stairs to the first floor. In the end it didn't really matter what was true and what wasn't. All he needed to know was that she was someone precious that needed to be guarded. And he would do everything in his power to make sure she was kept safe.

* * *

Thanks for reading


	6. Escape from Kiyosu

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

For those of you who have been waiting I am so sorry for the extreme lateness of this chapter, I never meant to take two months to get this done. My only excuse, weak as it is, is that I found myself completely sucked into the final chapters of Final Fantasy 13 and found it near impossible to stop playing long enough to do anything else. I have now beaten it though so hopefully the next chapter will come in a more timely manner. Thanks for your patience.

Chapter 6 - Escape from Kiyosu

Beyond the walls of the Sekihara house the sun was just beginning its long trek down the western sky when Kaoru slipped from the room where Ayame and Suzume were napping. Silently she padded to the stairs leading down to the first level.

With a soft sigh, she dropped down to sit on the top step to wait for the girls to awaken. A faint twinge pinched her chest as she began to relax and she adjusted herself until the pain vanished again. Three days and that was all that was left of the injuries she had sustained. Megumi's miracle salve had worked wonders. The bruises she had sported upon waking were now all but gone and her ribs were nothing more than a slight aggravation when she settled into a position they didn't like or twisted too suddenly. At this rate even that would be gone in another day or two.

She smiled at the thought and leaned against the wall. It was a good thing too because being trapped within Tae-san and Sae-san's small, two story house was starting to wear on her nerves. Deep down she knew it was for the best that she, Misao and the girls stay hidden from prying eyes but that still didn't silence the part of her that just wanted to get out for a little while. She had never been one to sit idle like this, injured or not.

A sardonic smirk curled the edge of her lips. Misao, the little sneak, had managed to wheedle a job out of Tae in the Akabeko kitchen to keep from going crazy. Which left Kaoru with nothing to do but entertain the girls and when that wasn't necessary, twiddle her thumbs. So far it had made for a very long three days but now that she was nearly healed they should be able to finally make plans to get the girls out of Kiyosu and to the manor where they would be safe.

Even if there had been no word from Tomoe-sama and the others yet.

Kaoru frowned as a small knot of worry materialized in her chest again. Misao said she'd sent a message to them days ago about what had happened but so far there had been no reply which scared Kaoru more than she liked to admit. It had been almost a week since the attack, they should have heard something by now.

Last night Sae-san had tried to alleviate her fears by saying that the message had most likely been intercepted by Kanryuu but that still didn't explain why Besshi or Azrael hadn't come bearing some kind of missive yet. There was no way Tomoe-sama hadn't heard about the attack. Something must have happened.

Kaoru's chest tightened at the thought and she winced as her ribs protested the unexpected tension. Taking a slow, cautious breath, she forced herself to calm down again. Either way they still needed to get out of Kiyosu as soon as they could because according to Himura-san and Shinomori-san the city was crawling with a dozen or more mages and mercenaries Kanryuu had left in his wake. And they were both sure Kanryuu himself was still nearby waiting from for them to leave. Thankfully it seemed none of Takeda's lackey's had found their hiding place yet, but that didn't mean they wouldn't. There were only so many places one could hide for as long as they had. It wouldn't be long before one of them, if not Kanryuu himself, figured out just where they were. They needed to get out of here before that happened.

Feeling another twinge, Kaoru moved to lean her back against the wall to get more comfortable. The sooner they got out of Kiyosu the better. Empty or not the manor was still far safer than here. The shield surrounding it had been created years ago by Tomoe's great-grandmother to keep out the steadily rising tide of black mages and was still, to this day the, strongest piece of magic in existence. There was no way Kanryuu would get through that.

Exhaling softly, she dropped her head against the wall. And maybe, once they were free of Kiyosu she'd finally get a chance to have a real conversation with Himura-san like she had hoped to days ago. Thanks to Takeda's men he and Shinomori-san spent most of their time in the city keeping tabs on the watchers and setting false trails when one or more got too close to discovery. The only time the two men were anywhere near the house or the Akabeko was for meals and even then for only a few minutes in the morning and again just before the eatery closed.

That wasn't to say she hadn't learned _anything_ about him. During the elusive meal times she had managed to squeeze in the questions she'd asked the first time they'd met, and had found out that Tomoe-sama had indeed been the one to send him here. He'd even produced the letter her mentor had sent to him when she'd remained skeptical. But that was all she'd been able to glean from him so far except for the fact that he and Tomoe had been childhood friends. It was frustrating to say the least but unfortunately there was really very little she could do about it.

A small, rueful smile lifted Kaoru's lips and she shook her head. She supposed right now really wasn't the best time to be worrying about their lack of conversation anyway. Her thirst for knowledge would just have to go unquenched until either they had the time or they went their separate ways and she questioned Tomoe-sama instead.

A faint scuffling sound drew her attention and Kaoru set the thoughts aside as she glanced back towards the room where she'd left the girls. She smiled when she caught sight of Suzume popping her head out from the room, one little fist rubbing sleep scratchy eyes.

"Kaoru-nee?"

Kaoru pushed up from her perch and said, "I'm right here, honey."

At the sound of her voice Suzume turned towards her and grinned. "Kaoru-nee!"

Before she had a chance to reply Ayame popped her head out too, effectively signaling the end of quiet time. With a smile Kaoru padded back down the hall to their room and knelt down before them, "Are you two ready to make cranes now?"

Both Ayame and Suzume's eyes lit up as their faces broke into wide grins and they nodded excitedly. She had promised to try to teach them how to fold cranes and other animals before their nap.

"Well then I suppose we better head downstairs and get started!" she said smiling, with a clap of her hands. If it was possible, Ayame and Suzume's grins grew even wider and they squealed in delight as they sped past her down the stairs, any remaining sleepiness thoroughly wiped away.

Grinning to herself, Kaoru followed in their footsteps. These were the times when her confinement wasn't quite so wearing. Once they left the safety of Tae and Sae's house the girls would no longer have the chance to be just ordinary kids, so they had to take advantage of the time while they could because she was sure it wasn't going to last much longer.

And sadly later that day Kaoru found out just how true that thought was.

* * *

Night had long since fallen over Kiyosu by the time Kaoru and Misao finally managed to coax Ayame and Suzume to sleep. Both girls had been antsy the entire evening, neither wanting to let her and Misao out of their sight. It had taken them nearly an hour and half to assure the girls that everything was alright and it was safe to go to sleep. No easy feat when both she and Misao already knew different.

With an inaudible sigh, Kaoru glanced to her best friend with a tired look and slowly rose from her seat beside Ayame while Misao did the same on the other side of the futon where Suzume lay curled up next to her sister. On silent feet they both made their way across the tatami and out the door before they somehow accidentally woke one of them up again.

"I swear they know something's up." Misao grumbled softly as she slid the door closed behind her with a quiet click.

Kaoru smiled humorlessly and headed for the stairs. "After what's happened to them so far, I'd be surprised if they didn't," she murmured as she descended to the first floor. A faint sound of agreement came from Misao as they continued on, making their way into the common room of the Sekihara house where the meeting was to take place. All the doors and windows in the room had been locked up tight, the small area lit by a lone lantern strategically placed at the far side of the room against the outer wall so no silhouettes would be cast against the opaque screens sheltering the meeting.

Tae, Sae, Kenshin and Aoshi were already there, seated in a semi-circle around a small knee high table in the center of the room waiting for them.

Smiling wearily as four sets of eyes turned their way, Kaoru settled into the empty space beside Kenshin while Misao took the one beside Aoshi.

"They're asleep, but I don't know for how long."

Tae smiled in understanding. "It will be long enough."

Kaoru wasn't sure if she believed that but right now wasn't the time to be worrying about it. Dropping all pretense of calm she fixed the man beside her with the same searching look he'd been giving her the last three days, "Does Kanryuu really know where we are?"

For a long moment Kenshin simply stared at her as if he was weighing something before he finally sighed and nodded. "Yes. Aoshi-san overheard one of Takeda's men tell the mage lurking in this area that he'd seen you and Suzume in the Akabeko this afternoon. I expect Takeda will know our whereabouts by morning."

Kaoru felt the blood drain from her face. It had been by pure accident that she'd let Suzume get away from her this afternoon while they were folding cranes. She had managed to catch the toddler just beyond the entryway leading into the Akabeko and pulled her back into the safety of the kitchen before anyone had seen them. At least she thought she had, obviously she hadn't and now, thanks to that one slipup, their only advantage was gone.

A wave of nausea struck Kaoru like a fist and she shook her head. "But… we haven't heard from Tomoe-sama yet. There's no way the four of us can take on Kanryuu and his mages alone! We- "

Kenshin held up his hand to stop her tirade. "Takeda is powerless right now" he explained soothingly, "which only leaves a handful of rogue mages. Both Aoshi-san and I have dealt with and defeated rogues before. We can do this if we plan right."

"But Kanryuu's not powerless anymore!" Kaoru snarled, slamming her palm on the worn table.

The stunned silence that followed her statement was like a slap in the face and Kaoru suddenly realized that she'd forgotten to tell them that little piece of information when she'd awoken. The adrenalin surging through her body instantly vanished and she wilted under the weight of their stares. With a sigh she dropped her attention to the table and was just about to attempt an explanation when she found herself being wrenched around.

"What do you mean he has his power back!" Misao demanded shrilly, eyes bright with wildness.

Kaoru swore as her ribs and ears protested the abuse and she extricated herself from her friend's iron grip. "I don't know how it happened but Kanryuu has his power back." she exhaled sharply before continuing. "I saw him use it on the mage that.. I… killed."

Misao turned deathly pale as she sat back, shaking her head as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Kaoru experienced a surge of empathy for her friend; she knew exactly how that felt. She hadn't believed at first either, but there had been no denying it when she'd seen the second strike against the mercenary.

"How is that possible?" Sae asked softly, breaking the tense silence. "He shouldn't be able to touch any of his power while Ayame and Suzume are still alive."

Kaoru stiffened and swung her attention to the elder Sekihara. "What did you just say?"

A surprised look flew across both Tae and Sae's face before Sae asked softly, "Tomoe-san didn't tell you two?"

"Tell us _what_?" Misao demanded, clearly at the end of her rope.

For a brief moment Sae was visibly taken aback, then seemingly gathered herself and straightened. "The reason Takeda Kanryuu wants Ayame and Suzume is because he is trying to break open the jewel imprisoning his power. He can only accomplish that by removing all four members of the Takeshi family… permanently."

"But we're not going to let that happen." Kenshin said, in an attempt to diffuse the growing tension.

Shaking off her initial shock, Kaoru was just about to agree with him when Misao beat her to it, "Damn right we're not! I'll see him dead first!"

"We all will," Aoshi spoke up softly from the other side of her, "but battle plans are needed for us to succeed in removing the children to safety, and killing Kanryuu should the opportunity present itself."

Misao huffed at the stoic man's gentle reprimanding and settled down as everyone shifted their attention to Kenshin hoping he had some brilliant plan to get them out of this mess.

The thoughtful looking redhead accepted their scrutiny with ease and shrugged, "As far as I see it the only choice we have now is to split up. He can't follow all of us."

A chill raced through Kaoru's body at his words. Trying to shake it off, she evenly asked, "How will we split?" She wasn't sure she wanted to go it alone again. Last time had almost killed her and this time it would kill Ayame if she failed.

Kenshin glanced her way with a look that made her belly plummet to her feet.

"We will go in pairs with a child. That way we will have a better chance of keeping at least one of them out of his hands."

Kaoru stiffened. "No! We are not going to sacrifice one to save the other!"

"We can't do that to them!" Misao exclaimed just as loudly.

"It's the only way", Kenshin sighed. His expression was firm, but understanding filled his calm eyes. "If we go together we will stand to lose them both because none of us here are strong enough to face Kanryuu now that he has the use of his power."

Kaoru and Misao both scowled blackly but held their tongues. As much as they hated to admit it, he was right. Even together they couldn't beat Kanryuu and they both knew it.

Kaoru wilted under the undeniable truth and wearily rubbed her temple. There had to be another way to do this, she absolutely refused to let anything happen to either one of those girls.

"Do either one of you know how to create illusions?" Tae asked curiously into the thick silence.

Kaoru started at the question and glanced to Misao before she shook her head. "Not yet. Why?"

Tae sighed softly and gave her a sad smile, "Because, if one of you did then you could have made it look like one of you was leaving with the girls. While the other waited here until Kanryuu gave chase and left for the manor with Ayame and Suzume."

Kaoru's mouth dropped open in a silent 'oh' as Kenshin murmured, "A decoy."

Tae dipped her head, "Yes."

"Y'know…" Misao mused with a smirk, "that could still work." Glancing to Kaoru, she smiled excitedly. "Did you bring your dolls with you?"

Surprised by the question, Kaoru quirked an eyebrow, "Yeah, wh-" And then it hit her what Misao was getting at. And her best friend was right. If they used her dolls they could make Tae's plan work.

"What are you two talking about?" Sae inquired with a pointed look at Misao.

A wide grin split Kaoru's face. "You'll see," she murmured as she jumped up and took off for the stairs. A couple of minutes later she returned with the two miniature, lifelike dolls Misao was talking about and settled in beside Kenshin again. Gently laying them on the table she trailed a loving finger over the smooth wood, Tomoe's mother had crafted the pair for her years ago when she had first been taken into their home. They were the most precious gift she'd ever received.

A soft inhalation of breath came from beside her and she glanced to Kenshin with a smile, "Have you seen something like these before?" In truth she really didn't need to ask, Tomoe also had a set which she was sure he must have seen at least once over the years.

Kenshin confirmed her surmise with a simple nod as he continued to eye the expertly painted faces of the posable dolls. And that's what made them so special, with just a touch of power the dolls could be set into a position yet would still flex and move somewhat as if they were actually human. But what made them even more special to them now was the fact that Kaoru could make them grow to be any size she wanted with the earth magic Tomoe had banned her to use or speak of.

A faint twinge of apprehension swam through her chest but she stomped it down. She had no choice, she had to use it and besides, none of them would have any idea what she was doing anyway. All she had to do was tell them what Tomoe-sama had told Misao when she had first seen it. That the rowan wood used to make the dolls was already imbued with the ability and attuned to Kaoru herself, all she had to do was activate it. A lie, but a plausible one.

"So what is it you plan to do with those, Kamiya-san?" Kenshin asked.

With a sly smile Kaoru glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and, instead of answering, she placed her index finger on a torso and reached out for the forbidden magic. Within moments, she felt a warm flood of power dance over her flesh, the earth's life force rising eagerly to her call. Kaoru's eyes dropped closed as a faint smile played along her lips and a for a brief moment she simply reveled in the sensation, it had been so long since the last time she'd been held in the earth's loving embrace.

But then, with a contented sigh, she finally set to work pushing the power into the wood; stimulating the dormant but still living molecules of the rowan wood. Almost immediately Kaoru felt the doll begin to expand and grow, her eyes opened to determine the right size. She almost smiled as sounds of surprise came from all around her, but instead she focused on feeding the wood until the doll was approximately the size of Suzume.

Once she reached the target size, she released the power and smiled triumphantly, "There, we now have a replica of Suzume… almost."

Tae was the first to recover and exclaimed, "How did you do that?"

Kaoru shrugged, "I can man-"

"It's magic!" Misao cut in excitedly. With a start Kaoru realized that she'd almost blurted out the truth. An icy wave of fear spilled through her veins, that had been close… too close.

"Kaoru activated the spell in the wood that makes them grow like that," Misao continued, oblivious to Kaoru's near mistake.

"Oh," Tae murmured then glanced to Kaoru, "Then you can make the second one as big as Ayame?"

Kaoru nodded with a grin, "I can make them as big or as small as I want."

"I don't remember Tomoe's having that ability." Kenshin mentioned softly, but Kaoru could hear the underlying question and if she wasn't mistaken, disbelief in his tone. Swallowing nervously she slid a glance his way and felt her cheeks redden slightly at the direct look he had fixed on her.

"I don't think hers did," Kaoru answered cautiously. Kenshin continued to watch her with a look that said he knew she wasn't telling him the truth. Then he finally grinned and glanced back to those around the table. "That must be it."

Kaoru eyed him askance for a moment longer wondering just how much Tomoe had already told him about her. But if her mentor hadn't told him about her family name, why would she tell him about her abilities? That didn't make sense.

"Now that we have stand-ins for the children how shall we proceed?" Aoshi asked bringing the conversation back around to the original topic.

Kenshin's entire attention finally shifted off of her and Kaoru breathed a silent sigh of relief. She would really like to have that talk with him, maybe then she wouldn't feel like _she_ was the one in the dark all the time.

"We will split into two groups, one with the dolls and the other with the girls." Kenshin explained then he glanced to Kaoru and Misao, "Is there any way to hide the girls' presence?"

Kaoru shrugged and shook her head then looked to Misao. At first the green-eyed mage simply shook her head but then her eyes flew wide and she said, "What about the cloaks?"

"Oh! That's right!" Kaoru agreed, swinging her attention back to Kenshin she explained, "Misao and I both have cloaks that when activated can make us basically disappear from sight. We could wrap the girls in those!"

Kenshin smiled in relief and dipped his head. "That's it then, Aoshi-san and Misao-dono will be the decoys and Kamiya-san and I will head for the manor with Ayame and Suzume."

"Wait!" Kaoru exclaimed. "Won't Kanryuu be expecting Misao and I to be the ones running with the girls? There's no way Shinomori-san can pass for me, he's too tall." Eying Kenshin for a second she said, "But you and I are about the same size so you could pass for me. Maybe you should go with Misao instead."

A dark look passed over Kenshin's face before he shook his head and glanced to his silent companion, "Aoshi-san, would you escort Misao-dono and the girls to the manor instead?"

Kaoru frowned in confusion but said nothing as the icy-eyed man dipped his head in acceptance. "I would prefer that. There is something I would like to speak with Yukishiro-san about."

Kenshin smiled, "Then it's settled. I will pose as Misao-dono and at dawn Kamiya-san and I will head due west as if we are heading for the manor then veer off towards Gifu once we have Kanryuu on our trail. Aoshi-san and Misao-dono will leave tomorrow afternoon with the farmers returning home and head directly for the manor."

Shifting his entire attention to the two he continued, "By then we should have Kanryuu's attention but be careful and don't stop for anything until you are within the safety of the manor's shield. If we're lucky Tomoe-dono will be able to assist you when you get closer."

At Misao and Aoshi's nod of understanding, Sae rose from the table. "Tae and I will prepare food for you then. Is there anything else you will need?"

"Cloaks and clothes for the dolls." Kaoru said as she rose too and grabbed the dolls. She was still a little confused as to why Himura-san seemed to think he _had_ to stay with her, but right now she didn't have time to worry about it. There was still too much to do.

"I will return soon," Kenshin said as he gained his feet. "I have an errand to run."

And without another word he was gone. Kaoru shook her head, be careful what you wish for huh? It looked like she'd have ample time in the redhead's company now. Well that was if they managed to evade Kanryuu and stay alive. Neither of which was very likely.

A faint twinge of nausea curled through her belly at the thought and she stomped it down as she headed for the stairs. As long as Ayame and Suzume lived she would be happy.

"What's with Himura?" Misao muttered as she came up behind her. "Did he think Aoshi-sama was going to eat you or something?"

Kaoru scoffed. "I have no idea but at least this way you get 'Aoshi-sama' all to yourself."

Misao snorted, "Yeah, a lot of good that's going to do me when we're running for our lives."

Kaoru sighed as she reached the landing on the second floor and tiptoed down the hall towards her room. "If Himura-san and I do our job right, you won't be."

Misao remained silent at that and patted her shoulder reassuringly before she slipped into the room where Ayame and Suzume still slept to keep watch and catch a cat nap.

Kaoru tried to smile but came up short as she entered her own room to enlarge the second doll and try to nap for a little while herself before all this began. The next couple of days were going to put her skills to the ultimate test, hopefully she was up for the challenge.

* * *

The sun was just beginning to lighten the sky when Kenshin and Kaoru said their goodbyes and left the safety of the Sekihara house with their makeshift charges. Slowly making their way into the empty streets of Kiyosu astride the horses the two mages had ridden in on, Kenshin kept a keen eye out for any sign that they were being watched.

A faint movement caught his attention as they turned onto the road that would lead them to the gate and he pulled the cowl of his cloak a little further over his face to keep his bright hair hidden. Good. That one would tell his partners who in turn would tell Kanryuu if they were lucky.

A quick glance to Kaoru showed she had seen the mage too. Kenshin almost smiled at the tense set of her shoulders, the grip she had on the doll in front of her turning her knuckles white. But any humor was washed away by the fact that he would much rather _she_ was the one heading to the safety of the manor. He'd almost given in and brought Misao with him instead but Kaoru's safety was his task not Shinomori's. And one he loathed to pass on to another even if it did put Kaoru within Kanryuu's reach.

Had he known Aoshi a little better he may have allowed the icy-eyed man to accompany Kaoru to the manor but he'd only known the man for a couple of months. And the one thing he did know about the swordsman was the fact that he worked for the shogun which made him even more leery of leaving Kaoru in Aoshi's hands. It was common knowledge that the regents were actively searching for ways to strengthen the bakufu. What better way than to gain magic long thought dead. They would be just as bad as Kanryuu himself.

Before he knew it the front gate loomed up before them and Kenshin set aside his misgivings as he pulled his horse to a stop just outside the guardhouse. For good or ill they couldn't turn back now. Kaoru was with him and that was how it would stay.

"Who goes there?" A guard called out as he strolled into the empty yard. Kenshin waited until the portly man he'd spoken to the night before came up beside his stallion before he lifted his hood enough for the guard to see. Recognition lit the man's eyes and he immediately dipped his head and without a word strode to the gate. Within moments the right side swung open enough to allow their horses to pass and Kenshin led Kaoru beyond the walls of Kiyosu into the steadily brightening morning.

Once beyond the gate Kenshin could no longer see the eyes watching them but he could still feel them as he turned west and nudged his horse into a steady trot down the dirt road with Kaoru following behind. He was sure it wouldn't take long for Takeda to catch wind of their departure. He only hoped the black mage wouldn't catch up to them until they were closer to the stretch of forest he was aiming for fifteen miles away. Once within that untamed wood it would be easy to lure Kanryuu away from Aoshi and Misao's route. He himself had gotten lost in there once in his younger days and he had since explored and mentally mapped it out to keep from losing his way again.

Kenshin smiled and kicked his horse up to a canter. It was a handy stretch of land when one needed to avoid detection or in this case, needed to confuse others.

By midmorning he was beginning to doubt his plan though when there was still no sign of pursuit by either Kanryuu or his lackeys. They were now well within range of the forest but without Kanryuu it really didn't matter. What could be taking the black mage so long? Unless… their plan been discovered.

A knot formed in Kenshin's gut at the thought and he was just about to wheel his horse around to check their backtrail when Kaoru rode up alongside him close enough to lean over and whispered, "They're coming."

Caught off guard by the information, Kenshin glanced her way and was surprised by the unadulterated fear darkening her bright green eyes. "Are you sure?"

Kaoru visibly swallowed and nodded weakly as she gripped the reins tightly, "He's coming, I can feel it."

Kenshin didn't bother to ask how she knew and simply nodded in return. "It's going to be fine. We're almost where we want to be when he catches up to us."

Kaoru gave him a weak smile and turned back to the road. On impulse Kenshin reached over and squeezed her white knuckled fist in reassurance before nudging his horse up to a gallop. Kaoru immediately fell in behind him and they took off headlong down the road. He could just barely make out the leading edge of the wood, a little less than a mile away yet. And then much to his relief he heard what he'd hoped for, several sets of hooves pounding against the hard packed dirt of the road behind them.

Hazarding a glance over his shoulder, he almost swore when he saw the band of horses coming up fast behind them. There were more of them than he'd originally thought. With his knees he urged his horse into an all out sprint, hoping they would reach the forest before Takeda reached them.

A bolt of lightning sped past his head as they closed the distance but Kenshin ignored it and drove into the trees, the small animal track he'd caught sight of barely wide enough for their horses to slip through.

Shouts of anger exploded from the mages behind them and Kenshin smiled as several hastily formed fireballs erratically chased them down the heavily shadowed track. A heartbeat later a hiss of pain came from behind him, wiping the smile from his face. Kenshin swung his attention to Kaoru who was clutching her shoulder; the thin trail of smoke coming from between her fingers proof that she'd been hit. He was just about to ask if she was alright when she waved her hand at him, silently telling him she was fine.

Kenshin frowned not sure if he believed that but turned his attention back to the front anyway and pushed on. If memory served, there was a small area up ahead where they could dismount and send the horses back at their pursuers. He would check her shoulder then while they had a chance.

A half mile later, the tiny glade came into view and Kenshin quickly led Kaoru off the track. Hauling his horse to a stop, he jumped from the stallion's back with the doll in his arms and removed his two small packs and blade. Within moments Kaoru followed suit and Kenshin turned both horses back down the lane, slapping them soundly on the rump to get them moving again. An angry cry broke from the two stallions as they reared then took off down the track in a panicked gallop.

There, that would scatter Kanryuu and his men long enough for him and Kaoru to get a head start towards Gifu. But first he needed to check his companion. Turning to Kaoru he reached for her shoulder and wasn't surprised when she shied away from him.

"What are you doing!" She screeched in surprise.

Kenshin smiled and held up a hand in peace, "I simply wanted to check your wound. We still have a long way to go."

Kaoru shook her head and backed away even further, "It's nothing. Just a little singed skin." Then before he could say anything else, she set the doll at her feet and quickly belted on her packs and wakizashi. "Shouldn't we go before Kanryuu gets here?" She asked with a pointed look as she collected her doll again.

Kenshin smirked to himself and gave up. According to Tomoe, Kaoru could be stubborn when she wanted to be and he had a feeling right now was going to be one of those times. With a silent sigh, he strapped his own blade and packs on then waved for her to follow as he took off into the thick underbrush, breaking a trail Takeda would be able to find and follow.

Now all he could hope was that they'd be lucky enough to reach Gifu before Takeda got within striking distance because even together he and Kaoru wouldn't stand a chance against Kanryuu and his mages.

And unfortunately they would soon find that fact put to the test…

* * *

Thanks for reading. Hope you liked it.


	7. Dangerous Revelations

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

First off, I need to apologize to those of you who reviewed last chap, and didn't receive a reply. I have my reasons but they sound weak in the face of the truth. I do however read and appreciate all of them and will do my best to answer them this time. Alright, now that I've said that on with the chap. I know it's a bit short this time but I hope content will make up for it.

* * *

Chapter 7 - Dangerous Revelations

A quarter of a mile into the overgrown woodland the thick vegetation finally began to thin. Kaoru breathed a silent sigh of relief as she and Kenshin broke out of the grasping bushes into the heavily shadowed, leaf strewn forest.

A soft hiss escaped against her will as one last shorn limb snagged her skin, leaving a nasty red gash in its wake to match the dozen or so she'd already collected. That pain was nothing though compared to the dull ache radiating out from her still tender ribs and the insistent throb of her scorched shoulder that was now causing the wooden doll to weigh heavily in her arms.

Ignoring the persistent aches and pains Kaoru pushed on, following as Kenshin threw a quick glance at her and picked up the pace. His hurried steps silent as he led them further and further into the safety of the trees along a trail she could no longer see.

Kaoru winced as the dead leaves and fallen sticks cracked and crunched loudly beneath her own feet. She had never mastered the art of stealth that Akira-san had tried to drill into her. And she didn't dare use the trick she'd learned in their training either. She had no idea just how much Tomoe had told the man in front of her, the last thing she needed to do was give herself away.

Lightening her steps the best she could on her own, Kaoru hugged her doll tight and tuned her senses to their back trail instead. So far there had been no sound of pursuit but that meant nothing. She knew there was no way Kanryuu was going to let them go. Not as long as he believed they had the girls.

As if to prove her thoughts correct, a soft crackling reached her ears, grabbing her attention. It was then she felt it, the tiny tendrils of super heated air flowing on the wind; a faint tinge of smoke making her nose tickle as it passed.

No…

He wouldn't!

Suddenly sick, Kaoru spun around and gasped at the truth. The forest behind them, once thick with shadows, was now glowing a bright yellow orange, the elemental flames quickly engulfing the trail they had made through the bracken. Horrified, she watched wide eyed as the fire continued to spread and grow at an alarming rate, consuming the green vegetation with frightening ease as it reached out to either side of them.

Heedless to the danger she and Kenshin now faced Kaoru swallowed down the bile rising in her throat as she stared at the growing inferno. Why! Why would Takeda burn down the forest! Didn't he _need_ the girls!

And then it hit her like a fist in the gut. Yes, he needed them… but he didn't need them alive. He needed them dead.

Kaoru nearly screamed as a hand suddenly dropped onto her shoulder. Spinning around, she was just about ready to electrocute whoever it was when her eyes landed on Kenshin, the hard look in his eyes stopping her cold.

"We have to go!" he said, with a hasty gesture to the quickly closing escape route. Another few moments and they'd be surrounded.

Kenshin didn't bother to wait for an answer and simply grabbed her free hand, tugging her along behind him through the small gap in the flames. Kaoru hissed as the magical fire licked across her exposed forearms, singing the hair before they broke though. Once past, Kenshin held her hand tight and picked up his pace. But it didn't matter because the flames fanned out to either side of them faster than they could run, as if to enclose them again. It was no use, they were going to be trapped.

"Is there anything you can do to stop them?" Kenshin tossed over his shoulder, as they continued running along the only path open to them.

Trying to keep pace, Kaoru swallowed tightly. There _was_ one fire based spell she could try. It wouldn't stop the mages but it might douse the flames long enough for them to get further ahead. "Th-there is one spell, but I don't know if it will work against this much fire. I'm not that strong yet. "

Kenshin's jaw tightened as he scanned the brightening forest. "Try" he replied more harshly than she expected, "or we're not going to make it out of here."

Kaoru paled at the bleak truth and desperately tried to ignore the fist of dread knotting in her gut. He was right. Kanryuu had every intention of burning them alive.

Swallowing thickly, Kaoru pulled him to a stop and tugged her hand from his. Without a word she turned to face the towering blaze behind them. A sudden surge of fear nearly paralyzed her but she stomped it down and thrust her doll behind her into Kenshin's hands.

"Step back as far as you can away from the fire and me," she ordered sternly, the waver in her voice belying her tone. There was a moment's hesitation and then she felt more than saw the redhead do as she bid. Tossing a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure he was far enough away, Kaoru gave her attention back to the inferno and, with a whispered incantation, activated the spell that would prime her skin as she had done in her fight with the rogue mage.

But this time instead of creating the fire, she would be absorbing it.

Kaoru shivered as the familiar chill raced over her skin and before she could lose her nerve, she lifted her arms and whispered the single word that would call the flames to her. Instantly the mage fire jumped at her, engulfing her in a sweltering cocoon. Behind her she heard a swift inhalation of breath but she ignored it in favor of turning the blistering fire back into energy and feeding it into the ground before it could succeed in turning her into ash.

Closing her eyes against the intense glare of the flames she focused her entire self on converting the raw fire as fast as she possibly could, hoping that it would be enough to clear a path so they could escape. For several long moments she completely lost herself in the task, pushing herself harder than she ever had before.

And then she felt it, the subtle change indicating she was succeeding. With a huge grin she opened her eyes to see and was surprised to witness the flames on either side gone and those they had just escaped faltering under her spell. She was doing it! A little bit more and they might just be able to get a lead on the enemy again!

If it was possible her grin grew even wider and she redoubled her efforts, transmuting the fire almost before it touched her skin.

But then what she'd feared would happen, did.

The elemental flames she'd been fighting moments before suddenly vanished leaving nothing but a faint scent of smoke in its wake. Kaoru's eyes flew wide in horror and before she could so much as draw breath to scream 'Get Down!', Kenshin crashed into her from behind and they both tumbled forward as the world around them exploded into a roaring firestorm.

Throwing her arms over her head, Kaoru pinched her eyes closed and gasped for breath as the intense heat surrounding them stole the oxygen straight from her lungs. A sickening fear unlike anything she'd ever felt before struck her hard as her world started to narrow.

This was it. They were going to die, just like Kanryuu wanted.

Kaoru went weak in relief when the inferno suddenly died out, nullifying her fears. Greedily sucking in as much air as her lungs could hold, she waited for Kenshin to lift himself off her before pushing herself up from the ground with shaking arms. A moment later she had gained her feet and she turned to glance to the redhead who had saved their lives. She gasped when her eyes fell on the charred remains of the cloak fluttering from his singed shoulders. Before she even knew what she was doing she reached out for him.

"Are you okay!"

Kenshin gave her a curt nod as he removed the damaged cloak. Grabbing her outstretched hand he tugged her to where he'd dropped the dolls. "We have to hurry, they know where we are now."

Kaoru shivered as icy fingers of fear slithered up her spine again. He was right. They must be closer than she'd thought. Accepting the still smoking doll Kenshin thrust at her she whispered, "We're not going to make it are we?"

Kenshin immediately stilled, his violet eyes darkening in resolve as he captured her gaze. "I promise you we will get out of this alive."

Kaoru resisted the urge to snort. She desperately wanted to believe him but deep down she knew there was very little hope. With that many mages plus Kanryuu chasing them down it was only a matter of time before they were caught and killed.

"Trust me, Kaoru, we are going to make it." Kenshin reiterated softly. With no more warning than a quiet 'Come on', he grabbed her hand again and took off in the direction they'd been heading.

Stunned to hear her name fall from his lips, Kaoru barely managed to keep from stumbling over her own feet as he pulled her after him. That had been… unexpected but… nice. A fiery blush heated her cheeks at the thought and she silently berated herself for even thinking about it right now.

Snagging her foot on an exposed tree root, Kaoru stumbled and just barely caught herself from crashing face first into Kenshin's back. Quickly regaining her balance, she smiled sheepishly at the questioning look the redhead tossed over his shoulder. If she kept that up, they _would_ be caught.

And yet in the end it didn't seem to matter how hard they tried to escape because in the next instant a wall of fire materialized four feet in front of them, directly in their path. Kenshin swore loudly as he veered to the left to avoid the obstruction taking her along with him. But no sooner had they cleared that one then a second wall, larger and curved this time, sprang up. Kenshin cursed again and just barely managed to dodge it but unfortunately the odd angle he had to use broke them apart and Kaoru had just enough to time to form a shield before she crashed into the searing flames.

With a strangled yelp she bounced back and would have toppled over had Kenshin not caught her around the waist. Mumbling a soft thanks she quickly righted herself and took off running again just as the sound of snapping twigs and crunching leaves reached her ears. Oh gods… they were almost here!

That thought was enough to spur her into an all out sprint. Nimbly dodging the obstructions the unseen mages continued to throw in their path, she ran for all she was worth towards a faint lightening in the trees ahead. Maybe, if they were lucky, it would lead to a way out of this. She was only about twenty yards away from what she hoped would be their salvation when Kenshin suddenly shouted, "No! Don't go that way!"

Startled, Kaoru slowed somewhat and swung a questioning glance over her shoulder. "Wh-…?"

She stopped cold when she saw the worried look darkening Kenshin's normally peaceful face and without another word tried to turn from the path. She hissed in irritation when she was immediately stopped by a wall of searing, white hot fire. Stumbling back from wall, she spun around to try the other way only to find her escape stopped again. It seemed Kanryuu didn't want them to change course which meant he knew what was coming too. They were being herded.

With a fierce growl, she ignored the nauseating trepidation churning in her stomach and pushed on towards the light, now more afraid than hopeful. What could possibly be waiting for them there? It soon became glaringly obvious what they were being pushed towards when the sound of rushing water broke the quiet of the forest.

A river! But… if that was the case then she and Kenshin could escape!

Heartened by the thought, Kaoru sped up a little and in a matter of moments broke out of the trees into a wide grassy stretch of land. All hope of escape instantly fled her mind when she saw the world simply disappear a hundred feet away. A cliff…

But... maybe the drop was one they could handle. A tiny flame of hope rekindled at the thought and she continued on, racing across the small meadow. A few moments later, she reached the edge and swore as her stomach plummeted to her feet; the sight of the eighty foot drop leading to the thrashing, white water below crushing all hope. They were doomed.

"I didn't realize until it was too late." Kenshin murmured apologetically as he came up beside her, "I'm sorry."

Kaoru swallowed down the thick knot of fear threatening to choke her and gave him a weak smile, "It's not your fault. Kanryuu knew what he was doing."

The sound of their pursuers closing in soon overrode the rapids below and they spun around just in time to see the first mage exit the tree line. Acting on pure instinct, Kaoru called up the strongest shield she could muster and shoved it out with all the strength she had, pushing him back as she encased the grassy expanse in the translucent protection. She knew it wouldn't last long but she couldn't just give up. She wasn't ready to die yet.

The mage scowled viciously as he stumbled back and started trying to break through the shield with fist sized balls of raw energy. Wincing as each strike hit, Kaoru staunchly held it steady, refusing to give an inch. She knew it was a lost cause when five more mages soon joined the one… followed by Kanryuu.

Kaoru swallowed nervously and desperately tried to keep from trembling as the black mage came to a stop directly across from her. With his soulless black eyes pinning her to the spot he waved off the attacking mage before giving her his full attention.

"Your shield only delays the inevitable." he stated coldly as he took in the bundles still clutched in her and Kenshin's arms. "Hand over the brats or die with them."

Kaoru stiffened in surprise. He hasn't figured it out yet! A sideways glance to Kenshin showed he was just as surprised as she was. But any hope that blossomed quickly vanished under the undeniable truth. It didn't matter if he knew or not, if they refused he'd kill them, and if they handed over the dolls she was sure he would kill them in sheer spite. There was no way out of this save death, either by Kanryuu's hands or the raging waters below.

With an exhausted sigh, Kaoru sagged imperceptibly and chuckled hopelessly. Even with her ability to harness all the elements she couldn't save them. It was true she had the ability, but she'd had no formal training in any but fire because there was no one left who knew how. Not even Tomoe-sama. Everything she had learned about the other four was from the handful of books the Yukishiro family had managed to salvage ages ago, and out of that she had learned very little she could use as an apprentice mage.

And nothing that would get them both out of this.

The faint click of a loosened katana caught her attention and Kaoru glanced to her companion out of the corner of her eye. She froze at the stony look on the redhead's face. Wha-?

Her unvoiced question was answered a heartbeat later when an angry hiss cut the warm afternoon air.

"Where are they?"

Kaoru's blood turned to ice. Oh, gods…he'd figured it out. Swinging her attention back to the black mage still outside her shield she flinched back from the furious black eyes boring into hers.

"Tell me now, girl. Where are the Takeshi brats?" Kanryuu ground out between clenched teeth.

Kaoru started to tremble again and clutched the doll hard to her chest. "Th-The"

"You're too late Takeda." Kenshin cut in smoothly, the faint tinge of humor in his voice surprising her. "They're already at the Yukishiro manor."

Kaoru's eyes widened slightly at the lie, and then she almost smiled when she realized what Kenshin was doing. They may have failed, but if Kanryuu believed the girls were already beyond his reach then they might still be able to save them.

If it was possible Kanryuu's face darkened even more and before either of them could so much as blink the black mage bellowed in rage and with frightening force slammed power engulfed fists directly into the shield.

An ear piercing scream ripped from Kaoru's throat and she grabbed her head as white hot agony suddenly tore through her mind, the rush of raw power Kanryuu was shoving into her shield expanding it to the breaking point, before it exploded. The sheer force of the blast knocked into her like a fist and she pitched backwards, over the edge.

Stunned, Kaoru simply stared into Kanryuu's steadily widening black eyes as she hung, momentarily suspended in the gentle air currents above the river, the world around her oddly silent as if time had stopped completely. And then Kanryuu muttered two words that made Kaoru's blood run cold as she began to drop towards the raging waters below.

"Blue eyes…"

Kaoru gasped in horror as she fell out of sight. …No…

Time reasserted itself as a chilling mist wrenched her back to her immediate danger, Kanryuu's discovery was quickly forgotten as she desperately called up the only air spell she knew. Thickening the air beneath her as fast as she could, she hoped and prayed it would be enough to cushion the impact but unfortunately by the time the air had solidified enough to slow her down she was only ten feet above the water's white frothed surface.

Thrusting aside the fear that rushed through her veins, Kaoru sent a silent prayer to whoever was listening and took a deep breath seconds before plunging feet first into the raging water. The shock of the impact made her gasp and she just barely managed to drag in a quick breath before she was sucked underneath the surface. Tumbling head over feet, she tried to ignore the burning in her lungs and frantically tried to make for the surface, swimming as hard as she could towards the light. But the current refused to let her loose and she quickly lost the strength to fight as she continued to tumble like a rag doll, the sharp rocks cutting into her flesh as she scraped by them.

Desperation was beginning to claw within her mind when her head suddenly slammed hard into something solid. And then she knew no more as her world faded to black.

* * *

From his perch on the cliff's edge, Kenshin watched in stunned silence as Kaoru plummeted to the raging water below and vanished beneath the roiling surface. The shimmering of her deep sapphire eyes still lingering in his sight.

A maniacal laugh tore Kenshin's attention away from the river and he swung an enraged glare at Takeda, wondering what the hell was so funny. He was surprised to find the black mage's eyes were fixed on him instead of where Kaoru had vanished. Then he noticed just where the black mage's crazed eyes were trained to and he covered his scarred cheek. Kanryuu's eyes slid to his after that and Kenshin felt a chill sweep through his body as the man laughed even harder.

Beyond confused, Kenshin shook off the sense of foreboding that spilled though his veins and turned his attention back to what was far more important right now. With one last glance back to Takeda he dropped the doll, palmed his sheathed blade and with a deep breath, dove over the edge after Kaoru.

* * *

The clattering of horses hooves accented the creak of ungreased wheels in the mid afternoon sun as Misao, Aoshi and Hachiro made their way along the traffic filled road leading west away from Kiyosu. Behind Misao the girls lay sleeping in the bed of the wagon Sae and Tae had commissioned for their trip beneath the cloaks that hid their presence. They blended well with the returning farmers and for that Misao was grateful, but knowing that did nothing to lessen her tightly coiled nerves.

Nerves that were about to break thanks to the stretch of forest they were currently passing. She could feel it, the residual magic still lingering in the scorched wood. This was where Kanryuu must have caught up with Kaoru. A sickening dread curled in her stomach at the thought. If that man had so much as laid a finger on Kaoru nothing would stop her from hunting him down and killing him, or die trying.

"Calm down, Misao. There is nothing we can do." Hachiro said, as he rode up beside where she was driving the wagon. "Our task is to make sure the Takeshi children reach the manor safely."

Misao turned a glare on the Sanada and growled, "I _know_."

Hachiro watched her for a moment longer then gave her an understanding nod and dropped back to ride behind the wagon beside Aoshi again.

With a sigh Misao turned her attention back to the road. It had come as quite a surprise when the Sanada had shown up on the Akabeko's doorstep early this morning with the news they had all been desperately waiting for. According to Hachiro, Tomoe and the others were injured, but fine. The reason there had been no contact was because Tomoe hadn't wanted to run the risk of Takeda locating them through the missive.

Misao smiled half-heartedly, unfortunately her teacher had no idea that Kanryuu had already found them. Hachiro hadn't been happy to find that they had set a plan into motion themselves thanks to Takeda's discovery, but by the time he'd gotten there it was too late. Himura and Kaoru had been gone for hours already. To be honest, Misao was more concerned about how Tomoe-sama was going to take the news that Kaoru had made herself into a target. For some reason that she didn't know their teacher was extra careful when it came to her best friend's safety.

Misao stifled another sigh and shifted her sore backside in an attempt to find a comfortable spot again. Her mentor would know soon enough though. With Hachiro helping them they would now reach the manor hours before they would have had it been just she and Aoshi, because the Sanada had the ability to 'bend distance'. To be honest she had no idea what exactly he did but that didn't matter right now, because with him doing whatever he was doing they would reach the manor by nightfall instead of the following morning like they'd planned.

She was happy about that but also apprehensive. That meant she would have to face Tomoe-sama that much sooner.

* * *

The afternoon light was slowly fading towards evening when Tomoe finally cut the link to Azrael, who now sat perched above the window in her study. With a tired sigh, she gratefully sagged against the wall for a minute, happy to be back in her own body. Ignoring the sickening apprehension that tightened in her chest she turned to Akira who sat across from her waiting for her return.

"I can't find her." She murmured as she pushed off the wall and rose shakily to walk off the disorientation that came from such a long connection to the raptor. "I saw Hachiro and Misao on the road with the girls and Shinomori-san. But there's no sign of Kaoru anywhere. "

Akira was on his feet a moment later and caught her elbow as she began to topple over. "I'm sure she's fine. If she's not with them then she must be with Himura-san right?"

Tomoe frowned as she rubbed the small ache trying to form above her eyes, "I hope so. But why are Kaoru and Kenshin missing and Misao being escorted by Shinomori? I didn't even know he was in Kiyosu."

Akira sighed and continued to lead her around them room. "We won't know the answer to that until they arrive. Misao will fill us in on what has transpired since the attack."

Tomoe gave him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes and was just about to agree when her study door suddenly crashed open to reveal the only non mageborn resident of the manor.

"She's awake!" Sagara Sanosuke exclaimed before he vanished from sight again.

Tomoe's eyes flew wide as a sudden surge of hope nearly stole her breath away. Taking off after the dark haired fighter as best she could, she raced towards the opposite end of the manor where the sleeping quarters were located. Megumi was the only one still not fully healed from their ordeal. Thanks to the healer mage's idiotic plan to jump Akira back to the manor, she had all but killed herself.

From what Sano had told them upon their arrival, Megumi had suddenly popped up in the middle of the courtyard that day, bleeding from her ears, with a nearly dead Akira held in a death grip in her arms. But she had been alive and awake and had refused Sano's help, instead ingesting a dangerous rare herb that would temporarily spike her waning magical strength. And then she had proceeded to heal Akira using both magic and her innate knowledge of herbal medicine until there was no chance he would die before promptly collapsing herself.

By the time Tomoe, Hachiro, Shougo and Sayo had arrived Sano had been an absolute wreck while Akira laid in bed quite alive and fast regaining his strength. To be honest, Tomoe had held out very little hope that Megumi would survive that kind of strain. She knew from experience it was extremely taxing to jump one, let alone two. Even she herself couldn't jump with another person yet somehow Megumi had succeeded, and she would be forever grateful to the healer for saving her husband's life.

Moments later Tomoe and Akira entered the room where Megumi had been placed. Tomoe grinned wide at the sight of the deathly pale, yet quite alive young woman sitting up in the bed. Without a word she rushed to the side of the bed and gently hugged the mage.

"Don't ever do that again!" She admonished gently. "You scared the life out of me!"

A soft sigh came from the awakened mage. "Trust me, I don't plan to," she replied softly, as she weakly returned the hug. "But at least it looks like it was worth it."

Tomoe gave a miniscule nod at that. "Thank you, my friend, for saving his life," she whispered into Megumi's ear before she pulled back to stand beside Akira, giving Sano room to sit beside the healer's bed again.

"What of Kaoru, Misao and the girls?" Megumi asked in a scratchy voice. "Did Takeda get them?"

Tomoe shook her head. "No, he didn't get the girls. They are on their way here as we speak."

Then before Megumi could ask about Kaoru and Misao again, she gave her friend the best smile she could and excused herself under the pretense of preparing a meal for the awakened mage. Taking the cue, Akira murmured a thank you for his life and followed in her footsteps.

They were halfway down the hall before Tomoe finally muttered, "I didn't want to worry her about Kaoru just yet." in explanation

Akira grasped her hand gently and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "With your training and Himura-san watching her back I have no doubt Kaoru will make it back to us."

Tomoe gave him a half-hearted nod in agreement. She desperately wanted to believe that too, but deep down she knew it wasn't going to be that easy. Not with Takeda on the loose. All she could hope was that the black mage wouldn't find out the truth about Kaoru because if he did he wouldn't stop until he got his hands on her.

And if he succeeded, it would be the end of the peace Kaoru's ancestors had fought so hard to gain.

A fragile peace that now rested on her small shoulders.

* * *

Thanks for reading. :D


	8. Overdue Explanations

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 8 - Overdue Explanations

Shadow filled twilight had blanketed the land by the time Kenshin headed back to the cave where he'd left Kaoru, drenched and unconscious, beside a blazing fire. The small stash of nuts, berries and edible roots in his pocket were the only things he'd managed to find in his hunt for food. The stores the Sekihara sisters had sent with them had been damaged in the river along with their spare set of clothes which left them with very little they could use. Right now the only dry items they had were a piece of flint and steel, and the medical salve Megumi had given Kaoru along with some rudimentary first aid items she'd had stored in her water safe pouch.

A cool breeze brushed by him, reminding him of just how wet _he_ still was and he picked up his pace before the rain clouds above decided to open up. Grabbing a few more pieces of usable wood as he went, Kenshin quickly wended his way back to the stony hillside housing their hideaway. A few moments later he came to a steep incline that he knew, if followed, would eventually lead back to the cliff they'd fallen from.

Casting a quick glanced behind him to make sure he was alone, Kenshin turned his attention to the narrow, overgrown path that ran along the face of the hill, facing the river. With his back to the wall, he eased his way out onto the path and slowly made his way to the waterfall of thick ivy several feet away, being careful to keep his passage as undetectable as possible. Once it rained it wouldn't matter but until then he had to do his best to keep them hidden.

Reaching the foliage naturally obscuring the cave entrance, he gently tugged it out of the way and smiled as he slipped inside; the sudden warmth enveloping him soothed his tired bones. After a quick check to make sure the natural screen had settled back into place, Kenshin turned and made his way towards the back of the cave where Kaoru and the fire were tucked away in the small space he'd sectioned out as their hideaway. If he was lucky his companion would now be awake.

A rueful smile touched his lips when he found Kaoru just as he had left her, asleep atop the thick pile of river reeds he'd fashioned for her bed. With a soft sigh, Kenshin laid the additional wood with the pile he'd collected earlier, emptied his pockets of his food stash then settled down in the small space between the still sleeping young woman and the fire that was slowly drying her out.

As far as he could tell she hadn't moved an inch which meant she was still unconscious. He had no doubt the nasty gash near her left temple was the cause; he only hoped that it wasn't serious enough for medical attention beyond the salve she carried because they were nowhere near a village. Even if they were they couldn't risk making themselves known with Takeda most likely still hunting them.

Stifling another sigh, he set aside the thought and eyed her still wet clothes with a frown. He had stripped her down as far as he dared when they'd first arrived but even with the healthy blaze at his back it would be hours before her hakama and under kimono dried out. At this rate she might wake from her head injury only to find herself sick from exposure.

But at least she's alive.

Moving to rest his warmed back against the rough stone wall beside her head, he exhaled tiredly. It had taken him nearly two hours to find her after he'd wrestled his way free of the river. To be honest he hadn't expected to find her alive at that point. But it seemed she had the devil's own luck because when he'd finally found her she'd been floating face up in the reeds along the river bank a few hundred feet from where they now sat; deathly pale but thankfully still breathing shallowly.

Glancing down to watch the firelight dance across her features, he smiled. She was a stubborn one, he'd give her that. Most people would have died from an uncontrolled fall like that, apprentice mage or not. But then again, Kaoru wasn't most people, was she?

His smile softened as he trailed a finger gently along her eyebrow. Crystal clear, deep blue eyes. That was something he never thought he'd see in his lifetime. Yet, for some reason they fit her more than the bright green did. He couldn't say why he felt that way but to him the green had never really seemed... natural. Maybe it was because even in the few moments he'd seen them before she'd vanished over the edge, the sapphire blue had lit up her face far more than the imitation green ever had.

A tiny smirk touched the edge of his lips and Kenshin shook his head at the direction his thoughts were wandering. Now was not the time to be thinking about that. With an inaudible sigh, he rested his head back against the wall and listened to her now steady breathing over the crackling of the fire. What was far more important right now was to figure out how they were going to get her back to the manor safely. He may have been trained to defeat mages but going up against a black mage was something entirely different.

Although, maybe they weren't nearly as outmatched as he feared. There was no reason for Kaoru to hide what she could do now; he was more than certain Kanryuu knew exactly what her eye color portended to. If they worked together they might just be able to deal with him before he could cause anymore harm.

Kenshin glanced to the sleeping mage out of the corner of his eye and quickly rethought the idea. No, to deliberately face off with him would be a mistake, because if they lost then Kanryuu would take Kaoru and that wasn't a risk he was willing to take. It was bad enough he'd put her in _this_ situation, Kenshin wasn't about to do it again. Especially now that he knew the whole truth. And there was no guarantee they'd find Kanryuu alone. It would be best to cautiously make their way to the manor once she awoke.

At the thought he chuckled softly and gave his attention back to the flickering firelight. Hadn't they been here before? Him waiting while she lay unconscious. Ah, but this time he had no whetstone or blade to sharpen.

* * *

Later that night, within the safe confines of the Yukishiro manor, Tomoe found out just what had transpired in Kiyosu and for the very first time in her life, she knew true fear.

Turning from the window overlooking the moonlit courtyard, she settled into the chair behind her desk before her knees gave out. With resolve she locked her hands together on the smooth surface to keep them from shaking as Misao continued.

"…. but by the time Hachiro-san showed up at the Akabeko, Himura-san and Kaoru were already gone. " Misao paused at that before adding in a small voice, "And according to Aoshi-sama so was Kanryuu, so we knew he had taken the bait."

Tomoe grimaced and swallowed around the thick knot of trepidation in her throat. Her worst nightmare had come true. Takeda Kanryuu was actively hunting Kaoru and, for all she knew, had already captured or killed her.

Forcing her white knuckled hands apart she murmured, "You say Himura-san came up with this idea? "

Misao shook her head, "Only the part where he and Kaoru became the decoys. For some reason he didn't want to leave Kaoru with Aoshi-sama, so instead of taking me with him he took her." With a shrug Misao grumbled, "I don't know what the big deal is anyway. It's not like there's anything different about Kaoru. Once Kanryuu figures out she doesn't have Ayame and Suzume he'll leave her alone."

Tomoe nearly winced at that and glanced to Akira, who was sitting in a chair beside her desk in an attempt to bolster her waning strength. The understanding look he gave her almost undid the tattered remnants of her composure. They should have told them the truth, at least enough to keep them from doing something like this. But now it was too late.

As if sensing those thoughts, Misao crossed her arms in irritation. "Alright Tomoe-sama, what's going on?" She cut in crossly, "What aren't you telling me?"

Tomoe snapped her attention back to her youngest apprentice mage. "Nothing." she automatically replied, ignoring the hard look her student was giving her. "Is there anything else we should know?"

Misao scowled and eyed her suspiciously. "You're lying."

Tomoe narrowed her eyes at the accusation. "If there is nothing else, Misao, you may leave and get some rest."

Misao's eyes flashed angrily. "No!" she shouted defiantly, stomping her foot. "There is something you're not telling me and probably should have before all this happened. What is it?"

A tense silence fell over the room and Tomoe silently regarded her student. Misao's jaw tightened in determination and apprehension as she returned the probing stare. Maybe it was time. No, it was well past time. Misao was right, she should have done this a long time ago with both her and Kaoru. A quick glance to Akira showed his agreement and Tomoe sighed tiredly.

"You're right, Misao. There is something about Kaoru you both don't know about."

She almost smiled at the startled look Misao gave her before she mumbled, "Kaoru?"

Tomoe dipped her head slightly, "Yes. Kaoru. She is far more than what she seems and even she doesn't know the whole truth."

Nothing but silence came from her still stunned student and Tomoe decided to begin by asking, "Did your family ever teach you about the race of people we now call the Ancients?"

Misao gave her a confused look. "Yeah. Ojiisan said they could use all the elements, and they were also the ones who sealed Ryuujin away. But what does this have to do with anything, they vanished centuries ago!"

Tomoe smiled half-heartedly, "Yes, they did. But fifteen years ago my family came across a three year old girl who was undeniably a direct descendent of that race and we took her in, hiding her behind the shield to protect her from those who would use her abilities for their own gain."

Tomoe paused at that and let Misao do the math and come to her own conclusion. She didn't have to wait long, a moment later Misao's mouth dropped open in surprise before she muttered, "You're kidding right?"

Tomoe simply shook her head.

Misao's eyes flew wide. "There is no way. Kaoru can't be an Ancient! I've never seen her use anything but fire!"

Tomoe smiled tiredly, "Yes, you have."

Crossing her arms with a huff, Misao challenged, "When?"

"The wooden dolls she alone can enlarge or shrink at will." Tomoe replied, as she settled back in her chair. "The lightning strike that destroyed the tree in the meadow two years ago when there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The time you got soaked when you were nowhere near the creek." Tomoe smiled sadly as Misao paled with each new instance, "I can go on if you don't believe me."

For a long moment Misao simply stared at her before she stuttered, "B-but.. she doesn't have blue eyes! Ojiisan said all the girls had blue eyes and Kaoru's eyes are green! She _can't_ be one of them!"

Tomoe's expression softened, "She does have blue eyes, Misao. I hid them myself behind the strongest illusion I could create."

"It is true, Misao." Akira murmured, speaking for the first time since the conversation began. "Kaoru is a descendent of the Ancients and if Kanryuu figures out she can use all the elements he will hunt her down and use her for his own purposes."

Misao's eyes widened in horror and she clenched her hands into white knuckled fists. "And Kaoru doesn't know anything about this?"

Tomoe shook her head no, but before she could say any more, Misao exploded.

"Why didn't you tell us!" The young mage shrieked. "Why didn't you at least tell Kaoru! She could be… could.. be…"

"Because I was trying to protect her." Tomoe replied softly.

"From what!" Misao screeched, throwing her hands up in the air. "She's in more danger now than she ever was! Kanryuu is a heartless monster. He'll destroy her if he finds out!"

"I know!" Tomoe snapped, losing her patience. Shocked by her own outburst, she took a deep calming breath and continued in an even voice, "I regret not telling you two before you left, but I can't turn back time. All I can do is find her and bring her home before Kanryuu finds out the truth."

Misao visibly sagged and shook her head wearily. "It might be too late."

Tomoe sat straight up as a shiver of dread chilled her, her voice barely audible as she asked "What do you mean?"

Misao gave her a pained look and rubbed her forehead. "When we were on our way here this afternoon we passed a forest about fifteen miles outside of Kiyosu and… it had been burned. At least a part of it. I think that's where Kaoru and Himura-san left the road to head to Gifu, with Kanryuu and his mages on their tail."

The thick knot of fear became a lead weight in Tomoe's chest. Outwardly she remained calm and gave Misao a reassuring smile, knowing it would do none of them any good to panic. "I'm sure she and Kenshin are fine. Tomorrow morning Azrael and I will begin our search there." Standing she strode around the desk to lay a comforting hand on Misao's tense shoulder. "Kenshin won't let anything happen to her, he knows a little of what I just told you. He will keep her safe and help us bring her home."

Misao gave her a look that said she wasn't quite sure she believed that, but nodded anyway. "If anything happens to her. I will hunt down Kanryuu myself."

Tomoe smiled in understanding, "You won't be alone." Steering her towards the door, she gave Misao's shoulder a gentle squeeze before letting go. "You should get some rest, as soon as I find her I will let you know."

"Promise?"

Tomoe nodded, "Yes, I promise. Now go get some sleep. Oh and send Aoshi-san to me, he said he needed to speak with me about something."

Misao dipped her head in understanding and shuffled tiredly from the study, the door thumping closed behind her as she left. With a sigh, Tomoe sagged under the weight settling on her shoulders and turned to Akira who had come up behind her, "I really messed up, didn't I?"

Akira shook his head. "No. You only did what any protective older sister would do."

Tomoe tried to smile but failed miserably and Akira wrapped her in his arms. "Don't be too hard on yourself. We all hoped her abilities and eye color were a coincidence, even though we knew it was near impossible. "

A humorless chuckle spilled from Tomoe's lips as she extricated herself from her husband's arms. "And our false hope might cost Kaoru her life."

Akira gave her a hard look but before he could say any more a soft knock came at the door. Relieved by the interruption, Tomoe waved the door open for Aoshi and leaned against the front of her desk as Misao's tall, dark-haired guardian entered the room and dipped a shallow bow.

Tomoe returned the gesture and asked, "What is it you wished to speak with me about, Shinomori-san?"

The stoic swordsman fixed her with an icy-eyed stare and murmured, "The Regents have asked me to find a girl child that was born with blue eyes years ago. Do you know of such a child and where I might find her?"

Stunned, Tomoe's knees wobbled dangerously and she fought to keep a straight face as she grabbed a hold of the desk. A quick glance to Akira showed he was just as surprised… and worried.

How did they know?

* * *

The first thing Kaoru became aware of when she finally woke was the dull throb pulsing to her heartbeat on the left side of her head. With a groan, she slowly lifted her hand to gently prod the area and hissed at the spike of pain her inspection caused. Taking a moment to let the pain dull again, she slowly slid her eyes open to see where she was and was surprised to see jet black rock glittering in the firelight some six feet above where she lay.

"You're awake."

Kaoru jumped at the unexpected voice and hissed as the movement jarred the rest of her body, revealing the aches and pains she hadn't noticed yet. With a frown, she carefully tilted her head back enough so she could see the violet-eyed owner of the voice resting against the wall above her head. "I'm not dead?"

Kenshin smiled, "No, just battered and bruised."

Kaoru smiled weakly and started levering herself up. "That would be an understatement." she grumbled as little twinges of pain came to life all over her body. She was immensely grateful when a gentle hand came from behind, assisting her until she was sitting up on the thick bed of reeds.

"Thanks," she mumbled, shifting around to find a comfortable position in her itchy, damp clothes. "Y'know, once I get back to the manor I'm _never_ setting foot outside the shield again."

Kenshin chuckled softly at that. Kaoru grinned at the sound and was just about to glance to the redhead when a shiver suddenly shook her entire body, irritating all of her aches again; including her still healing ribs. Swallowing a cry of pain, she grimaced and instinctively whispered a simple water spell that forced the wetness from her clothes, drying them instantly.

It wasn't until a surprised yelp came from the man beside her that she realized what she had done. Horrified by her slip up, Kaoru swung widened eyes at him as the blood drain from her face. Oh, gods she had just given herself away!

Kenshin smiled softly and calmly wiped the water droplets from his face. "Could you do that for me? I'm rather tired of sitting in wet clothes."

Still too stunned to even think straight Kaoru simply stared at him open mouthed.

"Its okay, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin murmured when she remained silent. "I already know about your abilities."

It took another minute or so before Kaoru's mind fully processed what he'd said and then her eyes narrowed. "What exactly do you know about me, Himura-san?"

Kenshin gave her a crooked grin. "Honestly? Not all that much. Although," he continued with a pointed look, "many of my questions have now been answered."

Confused, Kaoru lifted an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Kenshin's answering smile was warm as he nodded towards her, "Your deep blue eyes are quite beautiful. I never thought to see one such as you in my lifetime,"

Kaoru's mouth dropped open as an icy chill swept through her body. That's right, the illusion was gone… and Kanryuu had seen too, as had all the mages on the cliff. She grimaced as a fist of dread knotted in her stomach. Tomoe was going to kill her. She wasn't supposed to let _anyone_ see, let alone the enemy! And the worst part was, she couldn't even fix it!

"Trust me Kaoru-dono, your secret is safe with me." Kenshin assured her. "Tomoe hid your race to keep you safe and I will uphold her wishes."

"It doesn't matter!" Kaoru bit out caustically, "I can't fix it! Only Tomoe-sama knows how to create the illusion!" And then the rest of what he'd said finally sank in and she growled, "Race? What do you mean race?"

Kenshin's eyes widened slightly and he eyed her for a moment before he murmured, "You don't know?"

"Don't know what!" Kaoru yelled, quickly coming to the end of her rope.

"That you're a descendent of the Ancients."

That stopped her dead. "What?"

When Kenshin simply continued to stare at her, Kaoru felt the last of her patience slip away. "What is an Ancient!"

That seemed to take him even more off guard and he gave her an odd look. "Tomoe never told you about them?"

"Obviously not!," Kaoru retorted angrily, "Or I wouldn't be asking _you_."

Kenshin sighed heavily and ran a hand through his bangs. She could tell he would much rather let the topic drop but right now she wasn't feeling all that generous. It seemed she had been lied to and kept ignorant her entire life and now she wanted to know why. He remained silent for several excruciatingly long moments and Kaoru was just beginning to think he was going to refuse when he finally gave in.

"The Ancients," he began wearily as he slid his attention to the fire, "were a small race of mages who lived on this island a thousand years ago. They, like you, were also able to use all the elements instead of a specific one as the mages do today. According to the lore books and the stories I've heard, they were a peaceful race who only used their abilities to help the people of the land."

A small, sad smile touched his lips as he leaned forward to rest his arms on his bent knees. "But all that changed when the Dragon God began to perceive them as a threat. Fueled by this irrational fear, he and his brothers started hunting them down, killing anyone and everyone who got in their way." Kenshin sighed softly and finally looked back to her, "Anyway, in the end the Ancients retaliated by destroying all but Ryuujin who they sealed away then simply vanished from the face of the earth. Many have searched for them over the years but none have ever been found… until now."

Kaoru cocked an eyebrow, " What makes you think I'm one of them? Tomoe-sama says I just happen to be exceptionally gifted."

Kenshin smirked at that. "Your blue eyes. It is a known fact that the only females in the world to have deep blue eyes were the Ancients. There is no doubt in my mind you are indeed one of them. What I don't understand is how."

Kaoru swallowed back a sarcastic chuckle and rubbed her throbbing head. This was too much to take in. She was supposedly an entirely different race? She almost snorted at that. She was no different than Tomoe-sama and Misao except she could use air, earth, lightning and water. But then, why had Tomoe hidden her eyes? And why had her teacher never told her of these people?

Groaning softly, Kaoru shook her head. Too many questions. "I don't know if I believe that or not," she replied half-heartedly, "but it doesn't really matter anyway, right? I'm me and that's all that matters. I'll have to talk to Tomoe-sama when we get back to the manor."

"That's understandable." Kenshin conceded as he settled back against the wall again. "But for now let's act as if it's true because Takeda will undoubtedly think the same and be coming for you."

Kaoru ignored the tiny flutter of fear caused by the black mage's name and gave him a questioning look, "Why would he come after me? He needs Ayame and Suzume, not me?"

Kaoru's eyes narrowed at the faint smile Kenshin gave her. "He's a black mage, Kaoru-dono. Once he has you in his hands, he has ways to draw on your powers. That coupled with his insanity would be almost as devastating as the Dragon God himself roaming the earth again."

Another chill swept through her body at the implications and she angrily bit out, "Why didn't anyone tell me about all this?" It was the least they could do considering.

"Because up until a few days ago, everyone believed Kanryuu was still powerless." Kenshin explained gently. "That was most likely why Tomoe-dono kept this from you. So you could lead a relatively normal life without that possibility darkening your days. A powerless Takeda meant you were safe."

Kaoru's irritation quickly evaporated under the obvious truth and she wilted. She could see Tomoe doing that too. Her teacher and mentor had always been more of a sister to her than a guardian, sometimes almost maternal even.

With a soft sigh, she absently rubbed her untouched temple and grumbled, "So basically we have to get to the manor without Kanryuu finding us. And that, I think, is going to be easier said than done."

Kenshin hummed his agreement, but said nothing as he rested his head back against the rock; staring at the ceiling of the cave. Kaoru could almost see the wheels turning in his head as he began chewing over their problem.

Smiling to herself, she remained quiet and instead took advantage of his preoccupation to finally really look at him. With a critical eye, she scanned him for injuries and was somewhat surprised to find none readily visible, his hakama and under kimono were wet but otherwise intact. Her smile dropped into a frown as she glanced to her own ripped clothes, the scraps beneath a dull red in the firelight. No wonder he seemed so relaxed, how did the man do it? He must have gone into the rapids too, right?

Kaoru huffed softly under her breath and instead turned her attention to his loose fiery red hair. The majority of it was trapped by the wall he was leaning against but a few tendrils had escaped confinement and snaked over his shoulders to lay unobtrusively down his chest. Which she could tell through the thin, damp fabric of his white under kimono was smooth and well formed.

A hot blush flew across her cheeks and she tore her eyes away from him to look to the fire. Now was definitely not the time to be admiring the man's attributes, especially considering their predicament, not to mention their age difference. That thought was enough to calm her down somewhat and she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Being Tomoe's childhood friend meant he had to be at least the same age as her mentor and Tomoe had celebrated her twenty-eighth year just a couple of weeks ago. And yet he didn't look a day over twenty, twenty-five at most.

Noting his damp clothes again, she finally remembered his earlier request. "Himura-san?" she murmured to catch his attention. When Kenshin glanced her way, she asked, "Would you still like to be dried?"

A surprised look passed over his face and Kaoru couldn't help but smile. Must be he'd forgotten. The look quickly vanished though under a relieved smile and he dipped his head. "First, it's Kenshin. And yes, if you can."

A funny feeling flowed through her chest at the implied familiarity. Ignoring it the best she could, she began to slowly stand up; being careful not to aggravate her sore body too much. Once she had reached her feet, she glanced to Kenshin who had risen with her and smirked at the questioning look he was giving her.

"It'll be easier with us standing." She explained as she reached out to grasp his covered wrists lightly. Kenshin stiffened at the contact and Kaoru grinned to herself as her thundering heart began to slow to a more normal pace. It was nice to see she wasn't the only one affected by the other.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself even more, she closed her eyes and sent tiny tendrils of power through her hands into his clothes; weaving a web around his body from his shoulders to the hem of his hakama. Once she had completed the invisible cross-stitch she whispered a single word and snapped the web closed, forcing the water from every inch of cloth. On her this wasn't nearly as hard because she could grab the water through her skin and force it away.

An angry hissing came from the fire as several droplets splashed in the flames and with a satisfied smile she opened her eyes to her now dry companion. She blushed at the slightly awed look Kenshin was giving her and released his wrists.

"Better?" She asked in an effort to snap him out of it.

Kenshin blinked, then shook his head as if he'd just awoken and gave her a smile that caused that funny feeling to swim through her chest again.

"Yes, very much."

Kaoru absently rubbed at her chest in a feeble attempt to force whatever it was to go away. Turning she removed the damp reeds from her bed before cautiously sitting back down. "So… did you have any luck thinking up a plan to get us to the manor?"

With a weary sigh, Kenshin settled back down against the wall beside the damp spot he'd made. "Not yet. But there's really no hurry, this place is the safest place we could be right now."

Eying the oddly colored walls curiously she asked, "What's so special about this place?"

For a long moment nothing but silence was her answer and she glanced back to the redhead wondering why. She was surprised to see a faint tinge of sadness marring his face and then he finally murmured, "This was the place where Tomoe's family hid from the shogun's troops days before they were caught and killed. The black stone is due to the ward her mother cast to hide their presence from the trackers in the shogun's employ."

Kaoru's eyes widened in surprise and she felt the warmth flee from her body. "Oh…", she mumbled barely above a whisper as she shifted her attention back to the shimmering black walls. With a trembling hand she reached out to the wall beside her and ran her fingers over the smooth, ridged stone.

She'd been all of five years old when that had happened. She barely remembered the kind man and woman who had taken her in, or their son who had died with them that day but she knew even now that they had loved her like one of their own. And here they were protecting her once again even if they weren't aware of it.

A poorly stifled yawn caught her attention and she glanced back to Kenshin, who she could now tell was clearly exhausted. Smiling, she said, "Maybe you should get some rest, Himur-" She stopped at his quirked eyebrow and quickly amended, "K-Kenshin…-san."

Kenshin smirked at her stammer and nodded in agreement as he moved to the other bed of reeds on the opposite side of the fire. "We both should probably rest for now. Tomorrow will be soon enough to plan our journey."

Kaoru glanced between him and the entrance. "… Are you sure we both should?" she asked uncertainly.

Kenshin gave her a reassuring smile. "Yes, none will find us tonight. I'm sure."

Kaoru eyed him for another few moments as he settled in, then finally sighed and laid down herself. If he said they were safe then they must be. Right?

* * *

Thanks for reading :o) Hope you liked it.


	9. Safe No More

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Once again I'm sorry for the extremely long wait for this chapter. I hope you will find it was worth the wait.

Chapter 9 - Safe No More

The following morning Azrael and Tomoe were in the skies at dawn shooting towards Kiyosu and the scorched woodlands Misao had described. Together they rode the thermals, closing the distance as fast as the blue-eyed raptor could take them. But even at her best it still took Azrael over an hour to reach their destination.

As the ancient wood came into view the fear Tomoe had felt the night before came back tenfold. An alarmingly large part had been burned to cinders, the area still smoking slightly where the mage fire had charred even the smallest weed into nothing but a blackened husk.

Tomoe's stomach rolled with sickening fear and she scrambled to keep her link with Azrael. Oh gods, how many rogue mages did Kanryuu _have?_! Mentally nudging Azrael towards the trees still untouched, she let the raptor settle down to rest and tried to calm herself down. There was no use getting upset just yet. No matter how many he had, he had to catch them first and she knew neither Kenshin nor Kaoru would be caught so easily.

For a few moments longer she and Azrael rested on the branch before Tomoe silently suggested they begin their search. Azrael immediately cried out in understanding and effortlessly took to the air again, circling the area lazily so Tomoe could judge where to go from here.

On their second pass, a faint trail of residual magic leading away to the northwest caught her attention and she nudged Azrael in that direction. Turning the raptor's eyes to the ground, she began searching for any clue as to what had happened. It didn't take long for her to notice the intermittent scorch marks scarring the forest floor.

Turning Azrael to follow, they soon came to edge of the forest, and flew out over a small scrap of grassy land before it too fell away to be replaced by a hundred foot drop that ended in angry white-frothed rapids.

Tomoe mentally gasped as her stomach plummeted to her feet, but the sudden drop didn't seem to faze Azrael at all. With practiced ease the blue-eyed raptor caught the updrafts coming from below and rode them upwards for a moment before she started spiraling down towards the grassy stretch of land as if she already knew that was their destination.

Calmed by Azrael's ease, Tomoe shook off her vertigo and turned her attention to the magic saturated ground below, searching for clues as they continued to descend. There was no doubt this was where Kanryuu had caught up with them. Now what she needed to do was figure out if he'd taken them prisoner or if they'd managed to somehow evade the black mage and his lackeys.

The sight of Kaoru's dolls lying discarded in the tall grass near the cliff edge made Tomoe's blood run cold and she immediately urged Azrael in that direction. With a small cry her blue-eyed friend broke from the spiral and dove for the fallen dolls. A moment later she landed gracefully beside the charred doll sized to Ayame and Tomoe tried to discount the fact that for this doll to lie where it did, Kaoru must have been on the very edge of the cliff when she'd lost the precious treasure.

She flat out refused to believe he would chase her over the edge, even if he still had no idea of her true heritage. He may be cold-blooded and heartless but he knew a usable hostage when he saw one. Eying the other doll, she inwardly grimaced, as to Kenshin, she didn't even want to think about what Kanryuu may have done with him. It was obvious they had met here but that was all.

Taking full control of Azrael's eyes for a moment, she eyed the Ayame doll critically hoping for some clue as to what had happened to Kaoru even though she knew she would find none. This was a dead end. There was nothing else here to go with. Her best bet now would be to find Takeda and see if he had one or both of them in his grasp. The very possibility made her sick but it was better than the alternative. If either one of them had gone over the edge of that cliff then they were likely dead and she didn't even want to entertain that thought.

With an inward sigh, Tomoe silently let Azrael know it was time to take their search elsewhere. Azrael cried out in understanding and launched herself from the ground, her smooth wing beats swiftly carrying them into the air and above the trees again. At Tomoe's urging the black-faced raptor pointed her beak north and took off at a leisurely pace so Tomoe could scan the ground passing beneath their wings. Right now she had to assume Takeda had them, so their best bet was to make sweeping arcs of the area for some clue as to where they had gone.

For the next hour she and Azrael rode the skies hoping for something that would point them in the right direction, their search taking them north all the way to Gifu and south well passed the rapids they'd encountered earlier.

But with each failed sweep Tomoe lost a little bit more hope that she would find them and had all but given up when she finally spied the man she'd been searching for farther south than she'd expected.

A sudden wave of relief spilled through Tomoe's veins and she immediately pointed out the tiny clearing to Azrael. The blue-eyed raptor cried out in understanding and dove for the trees ringing the clearing. Tomoe winced at the piercing shriek and prayed Takeda would think nothing of it as they winged in to land on a branch high in an oak tree, directly behind where Kanryuu sat facing the small fire in the center of the clearing. And the very first thing Tomoe noticed was that the black mage was alone.

Completely and utterly alone.

Which meant Kenshin and Kaoru were still safe. _Or dead_, her mind supplied, stomping out the tiny bit of hope she'd garnered from the sight. But she still flat out refused to believe that. Why would he be here if that was true. If anything he'd be heading for the manor now that he knew Kenshin and Kaoru had been nothing but decoys.

The arrival of two rogue mages a moment later pulled her attention away from the questions and she quieted her mind to listen in to the conversation.

For a long moment silence reigned in the clearing and then one of the rogues, a man of average height with dark hair and eyes said, "We've searched all along the riverbank. There is still no sign."

From her perch behind him, Tomoe saw Takeda's shoulders tense. "Both sides?"

The second rogue, taller than the other but just as non-descript, nodded. "If they survived the fall, the rain most likely washed away any evidence of their exit of the river. They could be anywhere."

Tomoe's heart dropped to her stomach. _If they survived the fall_… Oh, gods… Did that mean?…

Azrael suddenly warbled deep in her throat and fluttered her wings agitatedly as if she'd sensed her mistress' distress. Takeda froze at the disturbance and Tomoe forced the bird to still, silently praying the black mage would ignore them.

Several agonizingly long moments passed before Kanryuu seemed to relax again and gave his attention back to the pair across the fire.

"Keep looking." He stated curtly. "I have no doubt they survived."

Both mages gave him a disbelieving look but dipped their heads in understanding and spun around retreating in the same direction they'd come.

"Is this necessary?" A gravely, disembodied voice asked once the men had disappeared. "The girl and her companion are most likely dead. We will have to find another way."

Tomoe mentally jumped at the unexpected voice and Azrael let out a strangled squawk channeling her surprise. Quickly shushing the raptor, she took control of Azrael's eyes and searched for the source of the voice.

She stilled when a white-haired, black clad man about a foot taller than herself stepped from the shadows of the forest to her right and came to stand beside the fire. Eyeing the newcomer through Azrael's eyes, Tomoe took in the slight stoop of his shoulders, the pale skin of his hands and face almost translucent in the morning sunshine. But what she found truly disconcerting was the deep set, glittering, reddish-brown eyes watching Kanryuu held a look that Tomoe could only describe as piercing, as if he could actually see into Takeda's soul.

Tomoe shuddered at the thought. This was no ordinary man. That much she could tell. But what struck her even harder was the fact that this man was no mage either. He was something entirely different.

"As I said before," Kanryuu replied in an irritated voice, "the girl is alive."

The white-haired man slowly shook his head, obviously not believing it possible, but Kanryuu didn't see because by then the black mage had slowly started turning his attention behind him, murmuring, "I have no doubt about that because she's…"

Tomoe's breath caught in her throat as Kanryuu paused and searched the trees until he finally found Azrael deep in the shadows. "A blue-eyed Ancient," he finished with a smile, "right, Yukishiro-san?"

Shocked to the very core of her being, Tomoe gasped as Kanryuu lifted his hand, her only warning before she saw the single bolt of lightning cutting through the air a heartbeat before it slammed into Azrael's chest.

Letting out a heart-wrenching scream, Tomoe felt Azrael cry out in agony as she wrenched herself away from the bird. Tumbling backwards off the window seat in her study, she hit the hardwood floor with bone-cracking force and burst into tears.

"Tomoe!" Akira exclaimed as he dove to his knees beside her, gathering her up in his arms.

"He knows…" she gasped between sobs. "Oh gods, he knows about Kaoru…!"

Akira stiffened for a split second before he started rocking her back and forth, but she barely felt it in her misery and terror. Azrael was dead and Kaoru…

She didn't even want to think about what might happen to Kaoru now.

* * *

Kanryuu prodded the strange looking hawk corpse with his toe and smiled as he turned to face his white-haired, alchemy teacher. "I know where they are."

The ageless man's eyes narrowed, "You're sure he is what we think he is?"

Kanryuu's smile grew deadly, "Oh yes, and he has no idea. None whatsoever."

* * *

By the time Kenshin woke that morning, the roaring fire had burned down to nothing but softly glowing embers; the subdued light barely enough to illuminate the black-walled cave.

Hiding a yawn behind his hand, he slowly blinked his eyes into clarity then rolled his head to the side so he could glance across the fire pit to check on his companion. He smiled to himself when he saw Kaoru curled away from him, sound asleep again. Good, she'd taken his advice. She desperately needed the energy renewing rest after her hours of unconsciousness.

Stifling another yawn, he methodically stretched his limbs into full wakefulness and finally sat up to greet the morning. If his internal clock was right it had to be about three hours after sunrise. A quick glance to the ivy shrouded entrance showed that it was indeed light out now which meant they had made it through the night undiscovered.

His smile returned, more relieved this time, as he placed a couple of dry logs on the fire. To be honest he hadn't been completely sure of their safety. True it had been fifteen years since the Yukishiros had used this cave, but that didn't mean it had been forgotten by their enemies.

With an inaudible sigh, he pulled out the small soup pan he carried and rose to make his way to the very back of the cavern where a small spring fed into a shallow pool before it vanished beneath the rock again and into the river. There was no use worrying about it, if they were found they would fight. It was all they could do.

Filling the pan, Kenshin returned to his makeshift bed and set to work preparing a thin soup with the taro root and berries he'd scavenged. Once he had the mixture heating on the logs, he wrapped the handful of nuts in a large leaf he'd collected for the task and buried them near the glowing embers underneath.

Giving the soup a stir, he smiled in satisfaction and moved back to rest against the wall. All that was left now was to wait for Kaoru to wake. With a soft sigh, he settled his head back against the rough rock and turned his attention to the predicament he'd managed to put them in. Maybe by the time Kaoru woke he'd have some idea of how to get them safely out of this mess.

A half an hour later a soft sigh spilled into the quiet, rousing him from his thoughts, and Kenshin glanced to Kaoru as she slowly rolled over to face the fire. A faint frown creased her brow at the bright light and he inwardly smiled as she threw an arm over her eyes.

Another minute of silence followed, but it seemed her attempt to block out the light had done little to halt her waking. With another barely audible sigh, she lifted the arm and slowly slid open sleep foggy blue eyes; blinking a couple of times to adjust them before she finally found him across the fire.

Grinning at her owl-eyed look, Kenshin murmured, "Good morning."

Kaoru simply stared at him for a long moment before she blinked again and mumbled "G'morning" before she rolled over onto her back.

Kenshin swallowed a chuckle as he swirled the simmering pot between them. Must be she wasn't much of a morning person.

"What time is it?" She asked softly.

"I think it's about three and a half hours after sunrise, but I haven't gone outside to check yet."

That seemed to surprise her and she turned much more alert eyes to him. "Really? Then… we made it?"

Kenshin smirked at that, "Did you really have so little faith in my assurances?"

A faint blush, barely visible in the flickering firelight, stained her cheeks before she scowled at him. "Well, it's not like I know you very well!" She bit out grumpily as she slowly started to rise. "How was I to know you knew what you were talking about?"

A poorly hidden wince made him flinch in sympathy. She really had taken a beating these last few days. "Point taken." He conceded to keep the peace.

Kaoru smirked in triumph as she settled against the wall, but it disappeared beneath a jaw cracking yawn and Kenshin gave her a crooked grin. "Not much of a morning person, are you?"

The glare she nailed him with was frosty and Kenshin smiled sheepishly, "Forgive me. I didn't mean to make fun."

Kaoru huffed irritably. "Normally I'm not this tired, but I can't help it after yesterday."

"You're right." Kenshin agreed, "I'm sorry." Leaning forward to swirl the contents of the pan one last time, he lifted it from the fire and set it on the cave floor. With a branch he then dug out the leaf-wrapped nuts to cool. "Are you hungry?"

A faint grumbling came from across the fire before Kaoru could answer and Kenshin grinned as he dug out the earthenware bowls Tae had given him. "I'll take that as a yes," he murmured as he poured out half of the soup.

Offering it to her over the fire, he tried not to smile at the angry blush burning her cheeks. For a moment Kaoru glared at him as if she knew what he was doing, then finally gave in and took the bowl. "Thanks."

Kenshin inwardly chuckled and poured out the rest for himself as she blew on the steaming mixture and started to sip. Mirroring her actions, he was surprised to find the soup more flavorful than he'd expected.

"It's good." Kaoru murmured suddenly, voicing his thoughts. "What's in it?"

Kenshin shrugged. "Just a bit if taro root and some berries I found yesterday."

"Well, this is still better than anything I've ever cooked," Kaoru said with a wry smile before she took another long draw.

Although he was curious, Kenshin prudently held his tongue and instead tucked into the meal himself. A companionable silence fell between them as they ate and Kenshin let his mind wander back to their dilemma. As far as he could tell, the only choice they really had was to make a run for the small village south of Kiyosu, some twelve miles east of here. Once there they could blend in with the travelers heading north and make their way back towards Kiyosu and then on to the manor.

But the real trick was to reach the village without Kanryuu and his lackeys being any the wiser. No easy task when they didn't even know where the black mage and his rogues were lurking. Although, the morning before Kaoru had somehow known when Takeda was on their trail. Maybe there was some way she could do that again.

A faint slurping sound pulled his attention back to her and he smiled as she let out a sated sigh and set down the empty bowl. "That was delicious."

Quickly finishing his own bowl, he set it aside and offered her a couple of the now cooled nuts and her sheathed blade to crack them with. He almost laughed at the startled look she gave him as she reached out for the blade. "I can't believe I didn't lose that!"

"I get the feeling it doesn't want to be lost." Kenshin replied softly as she took it. "It was tangled in your hakama ties when I found you."

Kaoru gave him an odd look before she shrugged. "Could be," she said as she set to work on the nuts. "Tomoe-sama said it's a strange blade."

Kenshin smiled, not surprised to hear that considering his reaction to it, and made quick work of his own nuts using the now empty pan.

"So, have any idea how we're getting to the manor yet?" Kaoru asked once she'd polished off her share.

With a nod Kenshin finished off his own and said, "I do, but first I need to know if you can sense where Kanryuu is, like you did yesterday?"

Kaoru seemed taken aback by the question, and even a little ill at ease. Giving her a reassuring smile, Kenshin repeated, "I promise your secrets are safe with me."

"I believe you, it's just… hard to break old habits." Kaoru explained with a faint smile. "Tomoe-sama never really let me use the other elements much because no one else knew about me. But you know, so I guess it doesn't matter."

And then before he could even think of a reply she turned her attention to the wall behind her and with a deep breath reached out and laid her palm flat against the black stone. Kenshin cocked an eyebrow, eyeing her confused for a moment before he realized what she was doing.

A minute or two passed in silence and then Kaoru suddenly cursed, "Gah! What's wrong! I can't feel _anything_!"

Kenshin jumped at her outburst and stared at her as she glared at the wall. "Maybe because of the ward?" he ventured softly, eyeing the black stone.

Kaoru started and swung a blank look at him as if she had no idea what he was talking about, and then it suddenly faded beneath a sheepish smile. "Umm… yeah, that could do it." She replied weakly. "Sorry."

Kenshin grinned and shook his head as he rose. "No need to be. Let's try it outside the cave."

Kaoru sat in embarrassed silence for a moment longer before she rose and followed him to the ivy concealed entrance. Reaching out, Kenshin was just about to gently tug open the door of vegetation when she suddenly blurted, "Wait! Is it safe?"

Kenshin smirked. "As safe as can be, right now" he replied as he pulled back enough of the ivy for Kaoru to see the river lazily passing by a foot beyond where he stood.

Kaoru's eyes rounded in surprise. "Then, how did we get here?" she murmured so quietly he almost didn't catch it.

"There's a pathway that leads back out to the forest," Kenshin explained, pointing to the small path leading away to the left.

"Oh.." Kaoru muttered abashed. "Well, I guess I just need to go out there then."

Kenshin nodded and was just about to warn her to be careful on the slippery, rain soaked grass when Kaoru walked passed him and without so much as a backward glance, side-stepped out onto the moist pathway before he could even open his mouth. Surprised, Kenshin held his breath hoping she had somehow stepped right. But unfortunately it wasn't to be as her foot suddenly shot out from under her and, with a loud gasp, she started plummeting towards the sluggishly moving river.

Kenshin's instincts kicked in before his mind could fully process what was happening and with lightning fast reflexes he grabbed Kaoru's arm before her foot could so much as touch the water, swinging her up into his arms. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the handful of ivy he'd been holding back cascade by them to fall in a tattered heap at their feet.

For several stunned seconds neither of them moved as shock and adrenaline hammered through their veins, their hearts pounding almost as one. And then slowly, the world started moving again and Kenshin chuckled as held her a little tighter. This woman was going to give him a heart attack yet.

Another few more moments passed without a sound from Kaoru and he loosened his hold enough to see her beet red face and was once again struck by the remarkably beautiful gemstone blue of her eyes.

Shaking it off the best he could, he asked, "Are you alright?"

Kaoru blinked, then scowled. "You could have at least told me it was wet out there!" She grouched as she tried to wiggle out of his arms.

With a smile, Kenshin reluctantly released her and was just about to point out that she hadn't given him time when she suddenly grabbed his chin and angled his left cheek towards the sunlight streaming in through the torn doorway. Her fingers warm against his skin.

"Did you know your scar is turning blue?"

Caught completely off guard by the question Kenshin immediately touched the scar with his fingertips as if he could somehow feel the color change.

"Blue?" He murmured, confused.

Kaoru nodded and turned his head a little bit more. "Yeah, blue. It's still reddish down the middle but the outside is blue. Do you want to see?"

Kenshin arched an eyebrow, wondering how that would be possible, but before he could voice the question Kaoru released him then knelt down in the opening he'd accidentally created in the ivy screen and touched her finger to the water. Almost instantly a small section of the water stilled into a mirror and Kenshin eyed her in wonder for a moment before he bent down and angled his face enough to see.

It was true, even in the greenish hued water he could see the faint bluish tinge to the flesh directly around his scar. Running a finger along the ridge he frowned. What could have caused that?

"Wonder what did that?" Kaoru mused, voicing his thoughts again.

"I have no idea." Kenshin replied with a shrug, his brows drawn down in puzzlement, as he settled back on his heels. "I'll have to ask Megumi-dono if she's ever seen anything like this when we reach the manor."

Kaoru smiled and let the mirror go. ""You're right, she'll probably know. But first we need to get there and we can't do that without knowing where Takeda is. I think this time I'll just reach out from here though." She said wryly as she rose and leaned out enough to lay her hand flat on the exposed stone of the cliff face.

Kenshin smiled but said nothing as he rose and instead watched for any sign that she might fall again. Several quiet moments passed as Kaoru did whatever she was doing and then she suddenly tensed and yanked her hand back. Her expression strained.

"He's coming." She muttered tightly, her earlier humor gone. With wide frightened eyes she turned to him. "He's south of here but he's coming back this way. I think he's figured out where we are."

Kenshin fought to keep his own face composed and asked, "What about the others? Could you sense them?"

Kaoru nodded as the panicked look in her eyes intensified. "Two are by the river farther south than Kanryuu, and the other four are in the woods all around us. If any of them are trackers we're dead."

Kenshin tried to think of something to say that would calm her down but there was nothing. She was right, if any of them were trackers they'd never make it.

"So what's the plan?" Kaoru asked crisply as she spun around and hurried back into the cave.

Following in her footsteps, Kenshin quickly set to work collecting all of his things up and packing them away. "From here we head to Mihama. Once there we disguise ourselves as a married couple and head north again with the rest of the late summer travelers."

A loud clattering suddenly echoed through the cavern as the earthenware bowl Kaoru had been picking up dropped back to the floor.

"What?"

Kenshin, managing to keep his face straight as her cheeks reddened, calmly retrieved the bowl himself. "For now let's just worry about getting to Mihama safely without Kanryuu knowing. When we get there we can figure out if there's another way."

Kaoru nodded emphatically. "That sounds like a much better idea to me," she quickly agreed, looking anywhere but at him.

Kenshin smiled to himself and headed to the small spring to rinse their breakfast dishes so he could pack them away. Unfortunately he already knew there was no other way for them to make it back to the manor. Not unless they split up and there was no way he would allow that.

With a sigh he hastily swiped the dishes clean, then returned to the fire with a pan full of water and doused the flames before he wiped the pan clean with the corner of his shirt and tucked it away along with the bowls. Kaoru stood off to the side, already fully dressed with her small packs securely strapped to her hip alongside her wakizashi.

All that was left now was for him to do the same and they could get out of here, and he had a feeling it would be none too soon. Kaoru was right, there was only one reason Takeda would be coming this way without the other two mages.

He knew where they were.

Which meant they had to run, and they had to do so _now_.

* * *

Thanks for reading. :o)


	10. Cat and Mouse

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

I know I'm only repeating myself here but once again I would like to say I'm sorry for the wait, the holidays really bit hard into my free time. I do however promise no matter how long the wait may be, I will finish fthis so don't lose hope. I'd also like to give my beta Melycat a heartfelt thank you for her additions to this chapter. It wouldn't read nearly as well without them.

Okay, now with all that said, on with the chapter. I hope you will find it was worth the wait.

* * *

Chapter 10 - Cat and Mouse

Tomoe watched in silence as the five she'd called to her study filed in one by one. To her left Akira sat just as silent, the obvious tension in his shoulders belying the mask of calm on his face.

Shougo and Sayo were the first to enter, settling side by side in two of the chairs arranged before her desk. They were followed by Hachiro who took a seat directly across from where she sat behind her desk. Megumi came next, with Sano not far behind her, and settled in beside the Sanada.

"Are Aoshi-san and Misao-chan coming?" Sano asked as he entered, one hand poised on the door.

With an inaudible sigh, Tomoe shook her head no and the ex-fighter slid the door closed with a soft click before taking the last seat beside Megumi. Uttering a single word under her breath Tomoe effortlessly wrapped a cloaking spell around the room, sealing it from listening ears then gave her attention to the assembled mages. She wasn't the least bit surprised to see the startled looks they were all giving her.

"Why did you do that?" Megumi asked evenly although Tomoe could hear the uneasy edge in her friend's voice.

Tomoe met the hard, questioning look Megumi was giving her then let eyes drift to each of the others before bluntly replying, "For now we must treat Shinomori-san as our enemy."

The air in the room suddenly thickened as everyone stiffened. "What? Why? What did he do?" Hachiro demanded angrily.

"It isn't what he's done," Tomoe explained wearily, "but what he's been sent to find. " Several eyebrows rose at that and she rubbed at the headache trying to form between her eyes. "The shogun's regents know about Kaoru somehow and they have sent him to find her."

A collective gasp filled the room.

"But… how can they know? She's been here her whole life!" Sayo all but shouted, surprising everyone.

Sighing softly, Tomoe shook her head. "I have no idea. But until he leaves we have to be extra careful when speaking about Kaoru."

"What exactly did he say?" Hachiro pressed, obviously still skeptical that his friend would be a danger to them.

An empty smile touched Tomoe's lips as she looked at the Sanada. "Last night he asked me directly if I had ever heard of the girl child born with blue eyes and if so where he might find her."

The rest inhaled sharply as Hachiro's eyes widened in surprise.

"However, right now he is the least of our worries." Tomoe continued before any of them tried to press for more information.

"What about Misao?" Megumi asked with a pointed look, "Now that she knows, won't she tell Aoshi-san?"

Tomoe stiffened minutely, this was the one question she'd hoped to avoid. But since it was asked, she had no choice but to answer. Choosing her words carefully she replied, "She can't. She has been… sworn to secrecy." Hopefully none of them would read any further into that because in essence it was true… just not in the way a mage of their standing would do it.

But she should have known better, especially with Megumi in the room. The healer mage's eyes narrowed before she said, "You didn't use that spell on her, did you?"

Tomoe frowned at her tone and simply inclined her. "I had no choice. She knows too much now and I can't risk her slipping up."

"She's right, Megumi." Akira murmured, speaking up before the healer mage could retort. "Black magic or not, it's the only way to keep Misao silent. Unethical it may be but we cannot run the risk all the same."

Megumi scowled but said nothing more. Tomoe glanced to the rest of them and was sad to see they were all just as ill at ease as Megumi. Hardening herself against their disapproval she pushed on with the real reason they were all here.

"As I said before right now the regents and Shinomori-san are the least of our worries." She remarked curtly. "Takeda has also found out about Kaoru and is currently hunting her and Kenshin down several miles south of Kiyosu. We need to figure out how to find them first and get them home."

That caught their attention and all five of them swung widened eyes to her.

"Kanryuu knows?" Sayo murmured softly before any of the others could respond.

"Yes," Tomoe replied more calmly than she felt. "I have sent Besshi to find Kaoru with a note telling her to make for Mihama, but I don't know when or if he will be able to find her."

"What about Azrael?" Shougo asked, "Wouldn't it be easier to find her that way?"

Tomoe winced as her chest constricted painfully. The grief of loss was still raw. Swallowing tightly, she gave her attention to the elder Muyo and murmured, "I've already tried. Azrael was killed this morning by Kanryuu when we came across him in our search." Faint gasps came from Megumi and Sayo but Tomoe ignored them and pushed on. "He knew I was with her and told me outright before he killed Azrael that he had discovered Kaoru's secret, so he will try even harder to find her before we do and he has a head start."

"Maybe it's because I'm not mageborn," Sano piped up suddenly, "but I don't get why Takeda wants Kaoru anyway. From what little bit I know she can't break open the jewel imprisoning his power so why bother chasing her when he should be here trying to get Ayame and Suzume."

For a brief moment silence was his answer and then Sayo's eyes widened in horror. "You don't think he's trying to release Ryuujin, do you?"

Tomoe shook her head. "He can't. When the Ancients sealed the dragon god away, they destroyed his corporal body. He cannot come back into this plane without a host for him to inhabit and there is no way for a host to exist because it is impossible for the dragon god to access anyone in this world to create the imprint that is needed to start the shift. Most likely he is after her abilities, as a black mage he has ways of drawing on them against her will."

The tension Sayo's question had caused dissipated somewhat and Tomoe glanced to Hachiro. "How long would it take for you to take three of us to the river west of Mihama?"

Hachiro's eyebrows rose slightly in surprise before he gave her a thoughtful look, "This side of the river right?" When Tomoe nodded he said, "Probably about four hours, why? We going?"

Tomoe inwardly smiled at his poorly contained eagerness. "Yes. Myself, Shougo and Akira will accompany you to the area near the cave my family used fifteen years ago. I think Kenshin and Kaoru may have spent the night there since Kanryuu wasn't too far south of that location."

Shougo and Hachiro dipped their heads in acknowledgement and Tomoe turned her attention to Sayo, "I need you to stay here to repair the shield if anything should happen." Sayo simply nodded and Tomoe finally turned her attention to Megumi who already had a black look fixed on her.

"You, my friend, need more rest," She said in a tone that brooked no argument. "Sano, I trust you will make sure she gets it?"

Sano grinned and gave her a sly wink, "Of course I will."

Megumi scowled and opened her mouth to protest but stopped when Tomoe held up a hand. "I know you would rather be with us but we can't risk all of us again. If we all go there will be no one left to protect the girls should something happen to the four of us. I need you here with Misao and Sayo in case something goes wrong."

With a hard glare, Megumi snapped her mouth shut and Tomoe inwardly smiled. "Misao and the young woman Sayo and Shougo brought this morning will keep the girls entertained. For now I don't think Takeda will bother with them so things should remain relatively quiet here."

"Do you really think you'll fall to Kanryuu?" Sayo asked quietly, concern evident.

Tomoe ignored the sinking feeling in her gut and smiled half-heartedly, "I don't know… but it took several rogue mages to burn that forest and I have no doubt they are all in the same area searching for Kaoru."

With a soft sigh, Sayo shook her head. "How did it get to this?"

_Through my own mistakes_, Tomoe thought darkly to herself.

"It doesn't matter how this happened." Akira said as he slid his hand across the desk to squeeze Tomoe's reassuringly. "All that matters is we find Kaoru and Himura-san before Takeda does."

Everyone nodded their agreement and finally began to rise.

"Hachiro, can you be ready in fifteen minutes?" Tomoe asked, as she pulled down the cloaking spell enfolding the room.

The dark-haired Sanada gave her a playful grin. "I can be ready in five." With that he turned and tossed over his shoulder, "I'll be in the courtyard waiting," as he headed out of the study. The rest soon followed, with Megumi giving her one last scowl before she vanished from the room.

When they were gone, Tomoe sighed tiredly and sagged into her chair. "I wish there was some way I could just magic her back here."

Akira chuckled softly and coaxed her out of her chair. "Don't forget that this time we're not going in blind, and maybe we'll even be able to end this before it goes any further. Remember," he continued as he entwined his fingers around hers and started guiding her from the room. "Kanryuu is still extremely handicapped. It doesn't matter how many rogues he has in his pocket. It doesn't change the fact that he is still not up to full power yet."

For a moment Tomoe mulled over his words and then a small smile slowly tugged at her lips. He was right, this had given them another chance to strike at Kanryuu before he figured out another way to free his power completely. A chance they desperately needed but one they wouldn't take unless they had already found Kaoru. Her young ward's safety would remain their first priority no matter what.

* * *

The small pathway leading out to the forest was still slick when Kaoru eased her way out onto the narrow scrap of land behind Kenshin. The slight incline in the path towards the river had already had her grasping what she could of the wall behind her with white-knuckled fingers before she carefully slid out onto the path completely.

Pausing for a moment to make sure she wasn't going repeat her earlier mistake, Kaoru cautiously shuffled one foot sideways followed by the other and crept after Kenshin as fast as she dared. Each tiny slip made her heart jump into her throat but somehow she managed to make it all the way to where Kenshin now stood motionless, eyeing the forest beyond.

"Are the one's surrounding us still unaware of our movements?" He asked softly over his shoulder.

Kaoru froze and swallowed thickly, he wanted her to do that _now_. She winced as her belly knotted with tension. Of course he did, the last thing they needed was to come face to face with them now when they were so vulnerable.

When she didn't answer, Kenshin glanced at her with an eyebrow raised in question and she gave him a weak smile. Then, without a word, she locked her knees to keep from falling and pressed her palms flat to the rocky wall behind her. Whispering a single word she called the earth magic to her finger tips then sent it out in all directions, searching for the ripples of power signifying the passage of mages. It didn't take long for her to find the four she'd sensed earlier. Two, she noted, had come together about a half mile north of them, while another was now nearly due east from where they were, and the last was about a half mile south of them but moving slowly towards them along the river bank. And if she wasn't mistaken Kanryuu was still a half mile further south than that one, although still moving directly towards them.

But thankfully none of the rogues in the area seemed to have any idea where she and Kenshin were, or that they were even moving. With a genuine smile, Kaoru let the tendrils of power go and opened her eyes, "They still don't know. Three are half a mile north and south of us, but there is one east of us. Will that be a problem?"

Kenshin's brow creased for a moment before he sighed and glanced back out to the forest. "We will deal with him if he finds us." He said, as he silently stepped from the cover of the path. "For now we simply have to run and hope we remain undetected."

Kaoru swallowed tightly and nodded as Kenshin moved out of her way and she stepped from the path before her nerves could get the better of her. As soon as she was free Kenshin motioned to the east and silently began making his way deeper into the shadowed woodland. Taking a moment to form a cushion of air beneath each foot to quiet her movements, Kaoru silently took off after him, matching his lope with ease. She knew it was risk to use magic right now if the mages surrounding them were trackers but she really had no choice. There was no way she could move as silently as the man in front of her over the bracken strewn forest floor.

Ignoring the persistent, niggling doubt still tingling in her chest, she gave her full attention to keeping pace with Kenshin. They were several yards into the trees before the redhead to a moment to glance over his shoulder to check on her and she smiled at the surprised look that flew across his face at finding her so close. Must be her stealth trick was working. At his questioning look, she pointed to her feet, which were floating about an inch off the ground. Kenshin's eyebrows shot into his bangs and he gave her the oddest look before he turned his attention back to the forest ahead of them.

Kaoru grinned to herself as they continued silently winding their way through the trees. She had to admit it was kind of nice not to have to hide what she could do from him anymore. Not to mention with this trick keeping her as quiet as him they might actually make it out of this alive.

One mile, and then two, smoothly and silently passed beneath their feet before Kaoru slowly began to tire. The aches and injuries she'd collected over the last few days began pricking at her limbs again, sapping what bit of energy she'd regained overnight. Ignoring them the best she could, she dropped her feet closer to the ground and reached out for the earth magic to check on the mage in this area again.

An icy chill swept through her body and she nearly stumbled to her knees at what she found. Oh, gods… they were coming! All of them! They must have _all_ been trackers! And she had led them straight to her and Kenshin!

Suddenly sick, Kaoru dropped the spell on her feet completely and started mentally preparing herself for their arrival. She was just about to call out to Kenshin to tell him, when he suddenly materialized right in front of her with a concerned look.

"What is it?" He asked quietly.

"They're coming…" She muttered shakily. "I led them straight to us!"

Kenshin shook his head as he simultaneously loosened his katana and scanned the forest for the enemy. "This isn't your fault. I didn't honestly expect us to get this far without a fight." Tossing a quick glance at her he asked, "How many?"

Kaoru swallowed tightly and murmured, "All four of them, they must all be trackers."

Kenshin tensed somewhat at that. "How soon will they arrive?"

Kaoru was just about to tell him the first one was almost on top of them already when a fireball the size of her head came barreling out of the trees, aiming dead at them. Shoving Kenshin out of the way, she flung herself back to avoid the strike then swung around to retaliate with a fist full of electricity. But she never got a chance to unleash it because somehow Kenshin disappeared from beside her to reappear right behind the rogue mage twenty feet away, his blade already slicing through the air as it cut a deadly arc towards the mage's back.

Kaoru watched in stunned amazement as the blade bit into the mage's shoulder before the man even realized Kenshin was near. With a furious growl the mage wrenched himself free of the blade and spun around, launching a fireball dead into Kenshin's face.

Kaoru's breath caught in her throat and she was moving almost before the fire had left the mage's hand, her own still crackling and ready to attack once she was sure she wouldn't hit Kenshin. But it seemed her assistance wasn't needed this time either because with speed she didn't even know existed Kenshin dodged the strike, then vanished from sight all together. A heartbeat later the redhead suddenly materialized in the space between her and the rogue, effectively blocking the strike the mage had launched at her while she'd been preoccupied.

For a long moment silence reigned, then the mage's eyes narrowed in recognition as he leveled a hard glare on the redhead in front of her. "You're the one they call the mage killer."

Kenshin's shoulders stiffened at the appellation. "I only kill those who give me no choice." He replied icily. "But to answer your question, yes, I can and will kill mages when I must."

A sneer twisted the dark-haired man's lips as both hands took on an orange radiance, "Against one you might succeed, but I think you may have trouble against all four of us."

And then as if his words had summoned them, the two she'd felt to the north and the one that had been to the south walked out of the shadows on either side of them, their fists already glowing a bright orange.

Kaoru paled and started to shake as Kenshin took a step back towards her, now even more on guard. All that was missing was Takeda but thankfully as far as she could tell he was still unaware that his mages had found them.

"How many can you take?" Kenshin all but whispered to her over his shoulder.

Kaoru swallowed thickly, "…One… maybe two if I'm lucky."

A miniscule nod was her only answer before Kenshin took off towards the two who had just arrived from the north leaving her with the two still spread out. Doing her best to ignore the sickening fear twisting her gut, Kaoru immediately ducked behind a tree for protection and launched a fist of electricity toward the two remaining mages hoping to knock them off guard.

But unfortunately neither man seemed fazed by her use of lightening and easily evaded the strike, fanning out to either side of her. Kaoru scowled darkly and dashed to another, larger tree further away to give herself some time to think. Of course they wouldn't be surprised, they had both seen her on the cliff, if they knew what her eye color meant then they _knew_ what she could do.

Although, even if they did _know_ about her abilities it was impossible for them to have ever experienced anything but fire and possibly lightning, if they'd ever gone against Takeda. A faint smile slowly replaced the scowl, which meant she still had an advantage of surprise on her side.

Heartened by the thought, Kaoru decided it was time to put some of her other knowledge to work. Quickly noting where both men were she placed her hands firmly on the tree trunk keeping her hidden and whispered a short incantation under her breath that would link her directly to the world beneath her feet.

Almost immediately the root system crisscrossing the area all three of them were in came into sharp relief in her mind. Within moments she had pinpointed the roots beneath the mages feet and with lightening speed she thrust the sinewy ropes up from the ground and wrapped them around both men in a crushing grip. Shouts of surprise and pain filled the air but Kaoru had no time to revel in her accomplishment because she already knew her strength in earth magic would only hold this type of spell for a minute or two at best.

With that fact spurring her on, she sprinted to the one closest to her and without a thought ruthlessly drove a crackling sphere of electricity directly into the mage's unprotected torso. A howl of rage and agony ripped from the man's throat as he threw his head back, thrashing against his root bindings in vain to escape. Kaoru grimly pushed the blasting heat through the cloth of his tunic and into his chest, filling the electrified air with black smoke. The scent of seared flesh assaulted her nose and choked her throat. Stumbling back Kaoru finally released the sphere, trying to inhale clear air and force the bile rising to settle.

Her unease was quickly forgotten though when something suddenly crashed through the trees behind her. On guard she glanced over her shoulder to find out what it was and was surprised to see one of the mages Kenshin had taken on lying in a broken heap at the base of a large tree. Blood stains darkening his face, forearms and chest. A heartbeat later Kenshin shot past her with the other mage hot on his heels.

At that moment the roots holding her own enemy gave way, sinking back into the ground, and the mage dropped unconscious to the ground to join his partner in a bloody mass. That meant they had managed to take two down so far. A faint smile touched her lips, they might get out of this yet.

That thought was quickly shredded though as a large ball of pure energy suddenly slammed into her back, knocking her face first into the ground beside the bleeding mage at her feet. Stunned for a moment by the impact she lay still, trying to fend off the nausea twisting her gut from the searing pain ripping through her back. Gasping to regain her breath and control Kaoru grit her teeth as she tried in vain to focus her mind.

Steeling herself against the agony, she groaned softly and slowly began pushing herself back to her feet. She should have known better than to let her guard down with the other mage now free from the roots. A familiar pulse of power suddenly radiated out from the man as he closed in but Kaoru couldn't clear her mind enough to remember what it was.

"You might as well stay down there until Kanryuu arrives." The mage advised her calmly as he came to stand over her hunched form. "He should be here in a moment."

A small tendril of fear curled in her gut at the name but instead of giving in to it, she scowled and continued to rise anyway. She wasn't going to be here when he arrived, she'd make damn sure of _that_.

As if he had somehow read her thoughts the mage locked her arm in a crushing grip as soon as she had gained her feet. Snarling angrily under her breath, she shot him a scathing glare and was just about to teach him that grabbing her like that was a very bad idea when the sound of snapping twigs and rustling leaves reached her ears.

"There's no use fighting" a smirk, "He's here."

A heartbeat later Kaoru froze as the familiar aura of the one advancing suddenly washed over her confirming the mage's words. Swallowing down the panic climbing into her throat she slowly scanned the area hoping and praying her senses were wrong even though she knew there was no possible way.

"Did you honestly believe you could escape me, girl?" A silky voice asked in obvious amusement, and then the black mage stepped from the shadows in front of her with a gleeful smile on his face.

The blood drained from Kaoru's cheeks and she clenched her fists to keep from shaking. Oh gods, this was bad… this was _really really_ bad.

"Where is her companion?"

Kaoru jumped at the gravely voice and she noticed the tall, deathly pale, white-haired man who had followed Kanryuu out of the shadows. His burning red eyes fixed on the man beside her. She was surprised to feel the hold on her arm slacken somewhat and the hand start to tremble slightly.

"G-Gorou is dealing with him right now. He should subdue him s-soon."

Kaoru swallowed thickly as Kanryuu glanced to the two fallen mages.

"I believe he may need some assistance collaring the mage killer." He noted casually as he looked to the rogue still holding her. "You may leave her with me now."

Kaoru's heart jumped into her throat and she almost grabbed the mage to keep him from going anywhere, the lesser of evils facing her, but before she could give into her irrational desire the man was gone. Swallowing around the lump trying to choke her, she stomped down the nearly crippling fear tightening her chest and gave the black mage a defiant look.

"I'm not going to help you so you might as well leave me alone." She stated tightly, her voice barely above a whisper as she struggled to keep it from belying her dread.

A hollow chuckle spilled from Kanryuu's smirking lips and he took a step towards her. "You will help us whether you want to or not, _Ancient_-san…" And then in the blink of an eye, the black mage had his hand fisted in her hair, pulling tautly against her scalp to immobilize her. He peered down into her face as she regained her precarious balance, the proximity of his dark pleasured expression at her dilemma overwhelmed her senses, "Don't forget, girl, no matter what elements you wield you are still only an apprentice mage. There is no way you can take on the likes of _me_."

Kaoru cried out as his hold tightened even more, the pain of her scalp blending with her wounds to wrack at her. Driven by pure instinct to survive, she called on the earth to enhance her strike and rammed a hardened fist directly into his chest as hard as she possibly could. A pain-filled hiss of surprise erupted from Kanryuu's lips as his ribs gave under the pressure, cracking sounds filled the air as his hand loosened enough for Kaoru to wrench herself free and stumble back a couple of steps. She faced him, watching as his eyes narrowed and he pressed a hand briefly to his damaged ribs.

Gasping, and nearly feral with desperation, she spat, "I said I will not help you!"

Kanryuu's face blackened with rage and he moved to grab her again but stopped suddenly and out of the corner of her eye immediately saw why. Kenshin, red-hair loosened and trailing behind him like a banner, was racing towards them with frightening speed, his blade raised and glinting menacingly as it caught tiny shafts of light in his advance.

A surge of relief spilled through Kaoru's veins only to be wiped out a moment later when she felt more than saw the deadly ball of electricity spark to life in Kanryuu's hand. Taking a precious moment to look at the pulsing purple sphere, she felt her stomach twist into a rock hard fist at the sheer intensity of it. If that hit Kenshin he'd be done. And for some reason she had a feeling he wasn't going to be able to dodge this one like he had the others.

The world seemed to slow to a crawl as Kaoru watched the black mage's hand begin to lift and with speed she didn't even know she possessed she took off towards Kenshin to knock him out of the path of the strike, desperately wishing they were anywhere but here. She couldn't watch him die. She _wouldn't_ watch him die!

A split second later she collided with the redhead, expecting to tumble back into the trees. But what she hadn't counted on was the way the world suddenly turned itself inside out and for one gut-wrenching moment she felt like they were suspended in empty space before they finally crashed to the unforgiving ground.

A grunt of pain ripped from Kaoru's throat and she rolled away from Kenshin as a sickening wave of nausea tore through her gut. Closing her eyes, she clenched her teeth against the convulsions and lay absolutely still hoping that would be enough to calm her raging stomach. She had no idea how long she laid like that but eventually the nausea and disorientation passed enough for her to finally be able to check on Kanryuu's whereabouts.

Slowly sliding her eyes open, she hissed as unadulterated sunlight immediately pierced her mind and with a groan she snapped them back closed again. For a long moment she watched the tiny pinpricks of light dance across her eyelids before it finally dawned on her. Sunlight…? Wait… how was that possible? They had been deep in the forest where there had been very little light.

A gentle touch on her forehead made her jump and she slowly opened her eyes again half afraid she might find Kanryuu hovering above her. But much to her intense relief, she instead found Kenshin gazing at her with a worried look; the left side of his face darkened with smeared blood.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he trailed his finger along her hairline again.

Kaoru gave him a half smile and slowly started pushing herself up. "Better than you, I think." However in the next instant she had to rethink that when her head started to spin and her belly decided to rebel again. "Okay… maybe not…." she conceded thickly as she lay back down again. If this kept up Kanryuu really would get her.

At the thought, a shot of adrenalin surged through her veins and she mumbled, "What happened? Where's Kanryuu?"

"To be honest, I'm not really sure," Kenshin admitted as he settled down beside her and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, "but if I had to guess, I'd say you teleported us away from him."

That announcement was enough to startle her out of her misery for a moment and Kaoru bolted upright before she even realized what she was doing and immediately regretted it when the world tilted precariously; her stomach pitching right along with it. Grabbing onto Kenshin for support, she gritted her teeth and waited for the sickness and vertigo to subside again. This was really getting to be a reoccurring annoyance these days, she reflected grimly.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, her body settled down again and she cautiously turned her attention to the world around them to see if what he'd said could possibly be true.

And what she found stunned her even more.

The forest they had been traveling in just a few short minutes ago had completely vanished to be replaced by a small hillside meadow, the long green grass carpeting the land around them swaying gently in the cool later summer breeze. Beyond the meadow another forest marched away in all directions save for the wide track that cut down the hillside where it led to several rectangular patches of rice paddies that seemingly connected the handful of huts dotting the valley floor below.

All of a sudden, Kaoru felt lightheaded and she paled as the sheer enormity of what she'd unwittingly done hit her square in the face. Kenshin was right, the only way for them to move from where they had been to this meadow was by teleporting. There was no other explanation. But, in order for her to do something like _that_ she'd have to be an adept and she was nowhere _near_ that level as a mage. Not even close! But then how could she have done this? _How!_

And then another, more immediate concern suddenly grabbed her attention, and with slightly wild eyes, she turned back to the smiling redhead beside her and murmured, "Where _are_ we?"

* * *

Thanks for reading. :o)


	11. Unexpected Turn of Events

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

As usual, I'm terribly sorry for the long wait. I had a hard time wrapping my head around this chap and then once I did, I got sick. But as you can see it's finally done, I hope you will find it was worth the wait.

Chapter 11 - Unexpected Turn of Events

For a long, silent moment Takeda Kanryuu stared in utter disbelief at the small patch of undisturbed ground where the Ancient and her companion had been before letting out a frustrated, bone-chilling growl of rage.

The birds who had settled in the area immediately took flight with terrified squawks as black eyes found and nailed in place one of the two mages who had followed the redhead back. With another chest rumbling snarl Kanryuu launched the charged ball still in his hand directly at the frozen mage; his need to destroy _something_ overpowering all else. A faint, twisted smile pulled at his lips as the man was lifted off his feet and driven violently into a gnarled tree trunk.

"Killing allies will solve nothing."

Kanryuu scowled and slid a scathing glare to the white-haired man beside him. "Allies like him I don't need. I'll get the girl myself."

A heavy silence was his only answer before his teacher murmured in an icy tone, "Do not attempt to damage the host again."

The promise of death lacing the words made Kanryuu's blood run cold and he found himself once again reminded of just what kind of creature he'd thrown his lot in with. He sneered to cover his unease and tore his attention away from the glaring reddish eyes fixed on him. Cautiously he made his way over to a fallen tree to check the damage to his throbbing chest. "Can you track them?"

A beat of silence passed before Kanryuu felt an incredible force press against his back; the air around him instantly heating and thickening into syrupy mass, making it hard to breathe. A moment later the sensation vanished as quickly as it had come and his teacher replied, "No. It seems the Ancient didn't have a target in mind when she activated the spell."

Kanryuu's anger spiked again, a snarl of frustration rising within. "Then they're gone!" He bit out caustically as he carefully eased himself down onto the dead wood. "You have to have an image of whom to or where you are going or you will be lost in nothingness. The girl had no idea what she was doing!"

A shot of pain suddenly radiated out from the jewel in his chest, making his breath seize. Gasping Kanryuu wrenched his tunic and under kimono open to find out just how much damage the brat had done before she'd killed herself.

"I don't believe they are dead" his teacher replied. But the statement fell on deaf ears as the jewel suddenly came into view. Kanryuu inhaled sharply and winced as another wave of pain ripped through his torso.

She couldn't have…

"It would seem the Takeshi children are no longer necessary." His companion noted nonchalantly.

Kanryuu didn't bother to reply as he continued to stare in stunned silence at the star-shaped jewel that had been the bane of his existence for the last ten years. The glaringly pristine surface that had once mocked his own attempts to damage was now heavily-webbed with minute spider cracks; the power it had held in check up until now glittering along the tiny pathways.

A maniacal laugh rose up to escape from his throat as the reality of what she had done finally sunk in. Before he could do anything to finish the job himself though his teacher's hand shot out like a snake and without warning struck the weakened jewel. Kanryuu hissed as the shock of it ripped through his heavily bruised chest, the magically crafted jewel bursting into a thousand tiny blood-covered fragments; unleashing his power in a mind blowing torrent.

Kanryuu went rigid as the potent energy flooded through his veins like a drug and for the first time in ten years he instinctively called lightning out of the clear blue sky above, blasting the only rogue left standing into a pile of ash where he stood agape. Another laugh, hoarse and malevolent, tore from his throat at his accomplishment and he was just about to blast a tree in half for the hell of it when the sense of euphoria was ruthlessly torn to shreds by a soul-searing, breath-stealing heat. The force of the inferno stunning him, ripping the very sound of his triumph from the air.

Gasping and shaking, he tried to wrench himself away from the white hot fire suddenly burning into his chest. Before he could move an inch his teacher's free hand clamped down onto his shoulder, pinning him place while the other continued to drive raw fire into the hole to cauterize the wound.

Kanryuu bit his tongue to keep from screaming and glared up into the glowing red eyes fixed on him as the creature's features shifted and flexed, his real form continuously trying to superimpose itself over the shell housing it. Although sickened by the sight, Kanryuu refused to look away, instead gritted his teeth against the pain; waiting for his teacher to finish.

Much to his intense relief a few heart pounding moments later the fire subsided and he was released. Allowing him to slump and drag air into his lungs.

"The girl has done us a favor." His teacher murmured impassively as his features settled back into that of the white-haired young man he'd claimed.

Kanryuu scowled. "Yes. But we needed her to help break the seal. She is of no use to us dead."

A small smile curled the creature's lips as he stepped away. "As I said before, I don't believe they are dead. She did not know where she was going but they still landed somewhere north of here."

That caught Kanryuu off guard and his eyes widened in surprise. "Impossible!"

"Remember, she is an Ancient. There is much she can do that you cannot." His teacher remarked acerbically. "Even my kind do not know all there is to know of them, that is why we were so easily trapped by them."

With a frown, Kanryuu rose, ignoring the insistent throbbing in his chest. "I don't care what she can do, she and the host will not get away from me a second time."

A faint "good" was his only answer as his teacher spun on his heel and started walking north.

Scowling blackly, Kanryuu dusted himself off, tugged his under kimono closed and slowly followed in the creature's footsteps. The sudden urge to give his so called teacher a taste of what he could do now that he was no longer chained flooded through his veins, but he fought it back. It would be suicide to attempt something like that against his kind.

Dragon gods were fickle at best, to go against his companion now would only lead to death and he was far too close to getting what he wanted to lose it all now.

Several years ago a deal had been struck and he fully intended to collect his payment as soon as Ryujin was released.

* * *

The wide track leading down the hillside was steeper and more rocky than Kaoru had originally anticipated and she cursed as her foot caught on a raised rock hidden in the knee high grass again, jarring her already battered body. Stumbling a couple of steps, she caught herself before she fell and groaned as her still upset stomach rolled dangerously. With an audible click, she clenched her teeth tight against the urge to vomit and took a couple slow even breaths in an effort to keep her minimal breakfast where it belonged. If this was what happened when someone teleported she would much rather walk to wherever she had to go, because as far as she was concerned this wasn't worth it. Not at all.

A moment later her attention was drawn away from her misery by the warm hand that settled on her shoulder.

"Are you sure you don't want me to carry you? The village is not all that far."

Ignoring the sudden increase in her heartbeat at Kenshin's touch, Kaoru swallowed thickly and gave him a sidelong glance. "You can't. You're only a couple of inches taller than me."

Kenshin scoffed softly at that then smiled as he dropped his hand from her shoulder and took another step towards her. "I have carried you before, Kaoru-dono, and I can do it again if you wish."

Kaoru's breath caught in her throat as a jolt of unexplained warmth shot through her veins at the reminder. Flushing a deep red in embarrassment, she spluttered, "That was-... I didn't-... … Gah! I can make it down there on my own!" she finally managed as she stepped around him and started down the hill again.

A deep, frustrated sigh came from behind her and then she suddenly found her arm linked neatly through Kenshin's, nestled tightly against his side. "At least let me help you like this so you won't get hurt again."

Kaoru's heartbeat jumped at the contact and she immediately tried to pull away to keep him from somehow noticing the effect he was having on her. But much to her dismay Kenshin kept her locked firmly against his side, the hard look in his violet eyes daring her to attempt that again.

A tiny frown tugged at her lips and she glared at him for a moment before she grudgingly huffed, "Fine."

The gorgeous, relieved smile that lit up Kenshin's face caught Kaoru completely off guard and she stumbled the first step as he started guiding her down the steep incline towards the handful of huts he had grown up near. With a smirk, Kenshin tossed her a smug _see? _look that made Kaoru growl at him halfheartedly.

Falling into step beside him, she gave her attention to carefully picking her way through the rock strewn, swaying grass and tried not to think too much about the soothing heat flowing through her clothing from their linked arms and brushing shoulders. It should have been easy considering the fact that she knew they were still in danger even if they had managed to evade Kanryuu for the time being. Despite the fact that she had somehow, unbelievably, managed to land them near Kenshin's home village and its relative safety she was finding it very hard to keep her attention where it should be now because of that, that feeling of security. Its deceptiveness kept her from thinking about their predicament and instead turned her thoughts to the man beside her.

Stealing a glance at the redhead, she swallowed thickly and immediately swung her eyes back to the ground as the strange feeling she still refused to acknowledge tightened her chest again. This couldn't be happening. She'd known the man for all of a week and a half, there was no way she could have fallen for him that fast. And yet, there was no other way to explain what she felt every time he touched her either. Even in her inexperience she knew that it was more than a crush because she'd already had one of those when she'd first met Hachiro three years ago. What she felt towards Kenshin was somehow… different from that time.

A large rock suddenly caught her toe and tripped her again, yanking Kaoru out of her thoughts. Instinctively reaching for Kenshin with her free hand she grimaced as tiny needles of pain shot up her leg. The next instance all thoughts of pain vanished though when she found herself once again held securely in Kenshin's arms like she had been in the cave.

"Are you okay?" He asked once they had stopped moving.

Beyond embarrassed, Kaoru desperately tried to ignore the concerned look in his eyes and carefully wiggled herself free. "Yes, I just didn't… see it in time." she replied lamely when he let her go. Yes, this was definitely different than Hachiro!

"It isn't much further." Kenshin remarked after a moment. "You will be able to rest soon. Unless you wish for me to carry you the rest of the way?"

Kaoru frowned and nailed him with a glare, "I told you I can get there myself."

Kenshin grinned as if he knew she would answer that way and was reaching out to reclaim her arm when he suddenly stopped and simply stared at her with steadily widening eyes. Confused and just a little bit uncomfortable with his scrutiny, Kaoru was just about to ask what the problem was when he said, "Your eyes."

Kaoru gave him an odd look. Her eyes? What about them?

And then it hit her. They were still blue! But… these people knew Kenshin, they wouldn't say anything, would they?

"No, they wouldn't, but we can't take the chance." Kenshin answered.

Kaoru jumped, wondering if she'd said that aloud but the question flew out of her head when Kenshin reached out lightning quick and tugged the dark blue ribbon that she always wore from her hair. Just as quickly he covered her eyes with it.

Suddenly plunged into darkness, Kaoru's irrational fear of the dark made her heart jump into her throat and she tried to push away from him. Kenshin quickly knotted the ribbon behind her head and caught her hands against his chest before she succeeded.

"We will tell them you're blind." Kenshin explained softly. His fingers firmly keeping hers trapped. "It's the only way to keep us all safe."

Kaoru fisted her hands in his tunic and desperately tried to calm her thundering heart. He was right but he could have at least warned her what he was going to do.

"I'm sorry." Kenshin murmured as his hands tightened on hers. "Tomoe told me of your fear and I was afraid you wouldn't agree if given the choice."

Kaoru frowned. "I'm not that stubborn," she replied grumpily as she released his shirt and tugged her hands from his, "I can deal with anything as long as I know it's the only way."

A faint chuckle sounded into the quiet. "I believe you could." Kenshin easily agreed. "Again, I'm sorry. I should have asked."

Somewhat mollified, Kaoru ignored the fear still tightening her chest and reached blindly for his arm. "Now that you know that, we should go before someone sees us and wonders what we're doing."

Kenshin's hand caught hers and he threaded her arm through his again. Kaoru immediately reached over and grabbed onto their joined arms with her free hand for more leverage. This was going to be… interesting.

"Just take a step each time I do and we'll be fine." Kenshin said as he began to move.

Stumbling the first time, Kaoru listened for each step and slowly figured out the rhythm of his movement until she was walking almost normally, if slowly, beside him. And then, quicker than she had expected, Kenshin leaned in to her ear and whispered, "We're almost to the first rice field. Meguro-san has already spotted us and is calling the rest of the villagers.

Kaoru gave him a small nod and swallowed nervously. She wasn't quite sure if she was ready for this or not. She had never really been good with meeting new people thanks to her seclusion and now she had to face them blind on top of it all. Her already sour stomach tightened and Kaoru bit her lip to try to calm herself down again as they came to stop.

Kenshin must have sensed her nervousness because he leaned in again and said, "Don't worry, for now I will do all the talking."

Before she had a chance to answer the sound of scuffling came from somewhere in front of her and she jumped as a distinctly masculine, yet youthful voice suddenly called out, "Himura-san! What brings you here after so long?"

Resisting the urge to take a step back, she gripped Kenshin's arm tight enough to make her knuckles ache and was grateful when Kenshin gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as the sound of several more footsteps came hurrying their way.

"Seiji! Leave them alone!" A brusque female admonished before Kenshin had a chance to answer. And then Kaoru heard a gentle slap she was sure must have landed on the young man's head. Beside her Kenshin chuckled and Kaoru smiled weakly, somewhat calmed by the familiar family antics.

"Its fine, Aiko-dono." He assured her as a faint 'ow!' came from the abused man. "My wife and I are traveling and she wanted to visit where I hailed from since we were so close. I hope we aren't intruding."

Kaoru stiffened and her eyes flew wide under the ribbon as she swung her head in the general direction of Kenshin's voice. "Whose wh-!"

"Of course you're not intruding, Kenshin," An elderly voice replied, cutting her off. "You're family. Hiko-san would never forgive us if we turned you away."

Several other voices murmured their agreement but Kaoru barely heard them over the rapid beating of her heart. What was he saying! She hadn't agreed to be anyone's _wife_!

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt Kenshin's lips brush against her ear. His breath warm. "They are very traditional here," he whispered so softly she almost didn't hear him over the mutterings of the others. "They won't let you stay with me otherwise."

Kaoru grimaced and swallowed thickly to calm her roiling belly. It was bad enough they had to lie about her eyes, now they had lie about that too? But, deep down she knew if they were as he said, then he was probably right and the last thing she wanted was to be separated from him here. Stifling the part of her that still riled against the deceit she finally nodded slightly, to show she understood.

Kenshin's relief was palpable and Kaoru smirked. Good, it was nice to know she wasn't the only one on edge.

"Excuse me sir, is your wife blind?" A young, girlish voice suddenly asked.

A gasp quickly followed by a scandalized "Fuyu-chan!" came but Kaoru could almost feel everyone perking up hoping for an answer to the child's question.

Kenshin didn't miss a beat and with a soft squeeze to her hand he replied, "Yes, she had an accident that took her eyesight a couple of months ago." Several inhaled breaths came in answer and Kaoru felt every single one like a fist in the gut. She hated lying almost as much as she did the dark, especially when they were deceiving people who seemed to know Kenshin so well.

Crumbling under the guilty feeling swimming through her chest she was just about to pull the ribbon from her eyes and tell them the truth when Kenshin locked her hand in his.

"Do you mind if we rest before we continue introductions? It's been a long journey and I believe my wife is tired."

Kaoru scowled and tugged on her hand but before she could say anything the brusque woman exclaimed, "Of course!" We need to get back to the fields anyway. Come on everyone, Kenshin-san and his wife won't be leaving anytime soon. We can talk to them later."

Kaoru's skin crawled at being called wife again as several of the villagers grumbled their disappointment and then the sound of shuffling feet filled the warm afternoon air as the crowd dispersed.

"I'm sorry." Kenshin murmured softly into her ear as he started guiding her along the pathway behind the rest of the villagers. "It really is better this way."

Kaoru inwardly frowned, "I know.." she muttered wearily, "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Kenshin seemed to relax at that. "Meguro-san," he called out suddenly. "Is my master here?"

Ahead of them one set of retreating footsteps stopped before the elderly voice she'd heard earlier answered, "No, but he should return within a day or two."

Kenshin dipped his head in acknowledgement and lead Kaoru from that path onto a rougher patch of ground. "Up this trail a ways is my master's hut." He said in explanation as he led her on. "No villagers come up here so you'll be able to go without the ribbon."

Kaoru smiled, somewhat relieved, and turned her attention to cautiously feeling her way along the path. She had no idea how long they walked but after what seemed like forever Kenshin finally pulled her to a stop. "We're here."

A moment later gentle hands untied the ribbon and Kaoru squinted her eyes closed to keep from being blinded as the soft material fell from her face. Bright light immediately illuminated her closed lids and she gave them a quick rub out of habit before slowly blinking them open. Cautiously blinking as she took in where she had been led to. What she found though was not exactly what she had expected given what she'd seen of the rest of the village from the hill.

Instead of a hut surrounded by gardens and paddies, she found a small clearing completely enclosed by trees save for the small track that led back they way they had come. And directly across from where they stood, backed up against a wall of trees was what she would call a cottage, not a hut. The walls were solidly built with a thick, well kept thatch roof and a low, clean porch lining the front.

"You live here?" She asked, glancing to the redhead beside her.

Kenshin smirked. "I did, until I was about your age and then I struck out on my own." He replied as he took her hand and led her across the clearing towards the closed door. "Although my master keeps a futon for me for whenever I'm passing by."

Kaoru murmured a barely audible 'ah' as she stepped up onto the porch. Kenshin slid the door back silently and led her into the murky interior then dropped her hand to grab a bucket from beside the door. "I'll go get some water." Then before she could so much as ask where, he was gone.

With a shrug, Kaoru turned her attention back to the interior. It was clean but sparsely furnished; the lone piece of furniture was a three legged stool that sat on the far side of the fire pit which dominated the center of the raised floor. The corner to her right held an assortment of sake bottles and two shelves holding an array of grey but sturdy dishes and cookware. The corner to her left though was what really caught her attention, there she found neatly folded futons and blankets that were looking far too inviting right at the moment.

It only took her a minute to give into temptation. Working her boots off, she padded over to the bedding in sock feet and sank down with a gratefully sigh to lean against the pile. Now that all the excitement was over she was starting to feel the effects of all that had happened in the past couple of hours. If this kept up she didn't know how much longer she was going to be able to stand it. It had been days since she'd felt… normal. A wave of exhaustion suddenly swept over her and her eyes dropped closed of their own accord as she sagged heavily against the soft stack. This was more comfortable than she thought it would be.

And that's how Kenshin found her ten minutes later when he returned with the freshly filled bucket. Smiling to himself he silently set the bucket beside the fire pit and padded softly over to the exhausted mage. He wasn't surprised to find her sound asleep. According to Tomoe teleporting was taxing for a seasoned mage, he couldn't imagine how tiring it must have been for Kaoru. He wouldn't be surprised if she slept the rest of the day away.

A faint sigh sounded into the quiet hut and he winced as Kaoru curled even more into the odd angle she'd fallen asleep in. She was going to end up with all sorts of knotted muscles if she stayed like that. Eyeing the pile she was nestled against he reached over and gently eased the top blanket out from behind her then laid it out before removing his blade and settling down beside her. With careful hands he gently guided her down until she was curled against his leg with her head resting in his lap. A soft sigh came as she shifted to make herself comfortable and then the hut went silent again.

Kenshin smiled and absently started running his fingers through her hair as he rested his head back against the stack. He was now beginning to see what it was that had made Tomoe give up her life at the tender age of fifteen to care for and raise this young woman. Kaoru was… special. That was really the only way he could describe her. He had never met anyone, especially a mage, who was so normal and yet so… extraordinary. So far she'd managed to surprise him at every turn.

His smile softened as he glanced to her sleeping profile. But what surprised him the most right now was his reaction to her. It had been years since he'd felt anything towards _anyone_ and he didn't know what to think of the feelings this eighteen year old had managed to awaken in him in the last week and a half. Feelings he had thought long dead since he'd let Tomoe go all those years ago.

A hollow chuckle whispered past his lips as he continued to trail his fingers through her silky mane. Tomoe would probably kill him for even thinking of Kaoru the way he was now and to be honest he really couldn't blame her. Ten years was a pretty wide stretch between them. She had barely seen the world, and he had seen too much.

Another sigh slipped past his lips and he shook his head. He wasn't sure what to do about his growing feelings but one thing he did know is that if Takeda tried to take her away from him again, the black mage would sorely regret his mistake. He may not have gone up against a black mage before but for her he would find a way to kill Kanryuu if he had to.

A jaw cracking yawn broke him from his thoughts and for the first time he felt just how tired he was after this morning's run-in. He could use a nap himself but even here he didn't feel completely safe. However his body had other ideas and after a couple of more yawns he finally allowed himself to doze lightly while he waited for Kaoru to wake. It wasn't long though before he unwittingly slipped into a heavier sleep, his hand stilling in Kaoru's hair.

A couple of hours later the unmistakable clearing of someone's throat jolted Kenshin awake with a start. Instinctively he grabbed for his katana as his eyes flew open, immediately focusing on the towering silhouette in the doorway.

"It seems the rumors are true, you did find yourself a woman."

Kenshin's hand froze an inch from the well worn sheath as his panic turned into surprise and he tried not to frown at the teasing tone of the all too familiar voice.

"It isn't what you think," he replied quietly as the surge of adrenaline ebbed in his veins. Gently lifting Kaoru's head from his lap so he could ease out from under her, he grabbed another blanket with his free hand and pooled it on the floor before carefully laying her back down. Smiling softly he gently removed a lock of hair from her face that had fallen during the shift. She hadn't so much as twitched through the whole exchange, she really must be dead tired.

A faint snort came from his master as Kenshin rose and then the tall man stepped back out the door into the fading daylight, obviously expecting him to follow. With one last glance to Kaoru, he swallowed a weary sigh and padded softly from the hut; sliding the door closed behind him with a soft click.

Once outside, he made his way across the clearing to where the great Hiko Seijuro, master of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, sat on one of the two boulders near the path leading to the village. The ever present sake jug resting on his mentor's leg. Claiming the other one for himself, Kenshin fixed his attention on his teacher and simply said, "That's Kaoru."

As he had expected that caught his master completely off guard and the swordsman nailed him with a hard look. "The Yukishiro family's Kaoru?"

When Kenshin nodded, Hiko frowned. "Why is she with you and not still behind the shield?"

Kenshin passed a hand wearily over his face, "Tomoe sent her and another to Kiyosu to be Ayame and Suzume's guardians, but things went bad and in the end we were separated from the rest. Right now I'm trying to get her back to the manor before Takeda Kanryuu can get his hands on her."

The frown on his master's face quickly morphed into a scowl at the name. "What does that snake have to do with this?"

Kenshin exhaled tiredly and glanced back to the hut. "He somehow found a way to release his power and is now hunting Kaoru for what she can do…for what she is."

Hiko's eyes narrowed at the leading answer but before his master could voice his irritation, Kenshin replied, "Kaoru is an Ancient, she can wield all the elements."

For a long moment Hiko eyed him skeptically before stating, "That's impossible. They're all dead."

Kenshin smirked, "Not dead, missing. But not even that anymore." With a shrug, he eyed the hut, "When she wakes you will see the truth in her deep blue eyes. She is what I say she is."

"Blue? Is that why the villagers think she's blind?"

Kenshin nodded. "The fewer people who know the better. It's the only way to keep her safe until I can get her home."

Hiko inclined his head in understanding and finally took a drink of the sake resting on his leg. "True," he agreed once he'd swallowed, "but that doesn't explain why she is suddenly your wife. Or is that wishful thinking?"

Kenshin felt his face redden against his will and frowned. "It was the only way to ensure the villagers would let her stay here with me."

His master gave him a disbelieving smirk that made Kenshin's face redden even more but before he could say anything else in his defense Hiko suddenly grabbed his face and angled it towards the sky. There was a scowl on the older man's face.

"What's wrong with your scar? Why is it scaly and blue?"

Kenshin winced as a shot of pain pinched his neck and he reached up to run his finger along the scar as Hiko let him go. "I don't know. It's been acting strangely ever since I met Kaoru. Sometimes there's a roaring in my head and it throbs like it's freshly made. And other times it splits open and bleeds like it did today when Kaoru teleported us. It wasn't until then that I noticed the rough edges."

Sighing softly, he shrugged and dropped his hand. "Once I reach the manor I intend to speak with Megumi-dono to find out if she knows what could be happening. "

Seemingly satisfied, Hiko nodded and rose. "Does Yukishiro-san know you're here with her charge?"

Kenshin shook his head. "No, Kaoru and I don't have any way of contacting her."

A small smile touched his master's lips and then without a word he headed for the hut, silently slipping inside. Surprised, Kenshin was just about to follow him to find out what he was doing when he appeared again, exiting just as quietly as he'd entered, and walked back to where Kenshin was still seated.

"Akira-san gave this to me a long time ago in case I ever needed their help." He said as he produced a small wing-shaped pendant just like the one Tomoe had given Kaoru. "You simply need to hold it firmly in your hand and think of either him or Tomoe-san. All it does is let them know who and where you are but that should be enough for now."

And then before Kenshin could so much as say thank you, Hiko dropped it into his hand and headed for the path leading to the village. "I'll go ask Aiko-san if she has a spare futon for our guest, unless of course you wish to share yours with her." He tossed over his shoulder with a sly grin.

Kenshin's face flamed bright red again, sending the aged swordsman into a bout of hearty laughter as he disappeared around the bend in the trail. Kenshin scowled and glared down the now empty pathway. Of all the places Kaoru could magic him to, why did it have to be here.

At the thought, his scowl faded somewhat and he rose and headed for the hut. To be honest, that was the biggest mystery of all. How had Kaoru managed to get them here to begin with when she hadn't even meant to teleport in the first place? Even he knew it was impossible for a mage to jump blind but somehow that was exactly what Kaoru had done. How she had chosen this place, even if randomly, was an even bigger mystery that had Kenshin thoroughly perplexed. It was too odd to be coincidental. The only explanation he could figure was she had somehow picked it out of his mind. But that was impossible, even the Ancients couldn't read minds. With a tired sigh he shook his head, it would probably be best to leave that question alone until he could speak with Tomoe, if anyone would know it would be her.

Stepping up onto the porch he stopped just outside of the door and turned to face the empty yard as he tightened his fist around the pendant. Easily calling up an image of Tomoe, he smiled as a soothing warmth suddenly filled his occupied hand. The magic immediately sensing and reacting to his wish. A moment later the warmth vanished and he tucked the spent pendant into his sleeve then proceeded into the darkened hut. There, if that worked Tomoe would at least know he and Kaoru were safe… for now at least.

* * *

Several miles away, in the place where Kaoru and Kenshin had met Kanryuu, Tomoe, Akira, Shougo and Hachiro were searching for some clue as to what had happened to the mage and her guardian when Tomoe suddenly felt a tug on her subconscious as if someone was calling out to her.

Curious, she closed her eyes and focused on the feeling and was surprised when an image of Kenshin, standing on a porch in the mountain village he grew up in, slowly materialized in her mind. A joyous, relieved smile spread across her face when she realized what was happening. In the next instant the image faded leaving her feeling more at ease than she had since Kaoru had left for Kiyosu.

"They're in Jouden with Hiko-san." She said as she turned to her husband who was eying a patch of bloody ground a couple of feet away.

Akira straightened, clearly surprised. "How did they get there? It's impossible to get from here to eight miles northeast of Kiyosu in a single afternoon. Not unless…"

Tomoe nodded when he trailed off. Her mind already considering the possibilities and ensuing questions of her own. "I think our ward has stumbled into teleporting. But I don't see how she could have - "

"Hey guys…?" Hachiro suddenly called out, the tightness of his voice catching their attention. "I think we may have a really big problem…"

Surprised by the Sanada's tone, Tomoe tried to ignore the tiny twinge of fear it caused and quickly made her way to where he was standing, staring at the ground beside a fallen tree. Reaching the mage's side she eyed the ground at his feet wondering what it was that had caught his attention and frowned when she found nothing. She was just about to ask the Sanada what the problem was when a gentle breeze swayed the leaves above her head, allowing a thin shaft of sunlight to break through the canopy and illuminate the glittering diamonds dotting the forest floor.

A faint snapping of twigs came from the direction Shougo had taken signaling his return but she ignored him as she slowly crouched down to carefully lift a pebble sized piece of the shimmering crystal. An icy chill swept through her body and she nearly choked when she saw the dried blood dotting the smooth surface.

"Is that what I think it is?" Hachiro asked as he crouched down beside her.

Suddenly sick, Tomoe could only nod. There was no doubt about it; she could still feel a faint imprint of the magic it had once housed.

He had done it. Takeda had released his power.

And he was still one step ahead of them where Kaoru was concerned.

Sickened further, she turned widened eyes to her companions, voice choked with apprehension, "We have to hurry."

* * *

Thanks for reading! :o)


	12. A Moment of Peace

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Once again, I'm sorry about the delay with this chapter. My personal life is a wreck right now and it was pretty difficult to get myself moving with this chapter, but I finally did and here it is. Also I want to apologize to those of you who have been waiting for this and received the alert(s) for Bloodline instead earlier this week. I'm sure you wanted to stab me when you realized. Sorry about that, I didn't think about what would happen until the deed was done.

Anyhow, I hope you will find the chapter was worth the wait.

* * *

Chapter 12 - A Moment of Peace

It was well past midnight when Tomoe finally gave up trying to take a nap like the rest and gently eased herself out from beneath her slumbering husband's arm. Standing slowly so as not disturb him, she carefully made her way to the small fire they'd lit to illuminate the tiny glade and settled down with a weary sigh to watch the glowing embers freed from the wood spiral into the overcast night.

Across the fire and to her right Shougo lay sleeping soundlessly, his head pillowed by the tiger he'd summoned to keep watch. Meeting the feline eyes she could feel watching her, she smiled and dipped her head in silent acknowledgement to set the creature at ease then glanced to her left where Hachiro lay sprawled haphazardly, his soft snores barely audible over the crackling of the fire.

If the truth be told she would rather be on the move than here. But it was the Sanada that had called for the halt and even though she chafed at the delay, she knew he would never have asked had he not desperately needed to rest and in all honesty he had earned it tenfold. He'd already done wonders by getting them to within eight miles of Kanryuu. Thanks to that they had an excellent chance of catching him before he even got close to Kaoru.

A faint twinge of anticipation tightened her chest as she shifted her attention back to the flickering flames, but it was quickly overcome by the small niggling shred of fear that still refused to go away.

"You should be sleeping…"

Tomoe jumped as her husband's sleep-thickened voice cut into her thoughts and she glanced at him with a weak smile as he settled down beside her.

"I can't. Not until I know without a doubt Kaoru is safe from him."

Akira sighed. Wrapping his arm around her he pulled her into his side. "I know you would rather teleport to Jouden yourself and take her to safety but there is no guarantee Kaoru even knows how she did it herself. If you go and find out it was simply a coincidence it will leave both of you vulnerable if Shougo, Hachiro and I can't stop him."

Tomoe exhaled tiredly and leaned into his warmth. He'd said the same thing when she'd broached the subject earlier and she knew he was right however that didn't make it any easier. "I know there is that possibility but what if we don't catch him in time. She can't go against him alone, at least if I was there he would have face me to get to her."

"You are not going", Akira reiterated sharply. Tomoe winced at his tone but before she could say anything to calm him down he continued. "With him now fully released we don't even know if the four of us are going to be enough for what's coming."

Tomoe's eyebrows creased in confusion at the strange wording and she waited for her husband to elaborate. When several moments passed with nothing more from him she finally moved to look him square in the eye. "What do you mean for what's coming? Is there something you're not telling me?"

Akira stiffened at the question and Tomoe had the distinct feeling he hadn't meant to let that slip. Her surmise was proven correct when his face went completely blank, a sure indication that he was hiding something she wasn't going to like. She was sure it must have something to do with Kanryuu since Akira was the only tracker in their group.

A finger of fear crawled up her spine at the thought and she tugged further out of his arms and leveled a hard look on him, "I can tell you're hiding something. What is it you don't want to tell me?"

Akira scowled and simply looked at her for a long moment before he sighed wearily and settled his attention to the fire, "I didn't want to tell you this until after you had gotten some rest…"

A sense of foreboding tightened Tomoe's chest and she watched warily as he slowly slid his eyes back to her.

"Tomorrow we will be facing more than just Kanryuu."

That caught her completely off guard and she stared at him in silence for a minute before she sagged in relief and laughed. That was _it?_!

"We already know he'll have rogues with him." She replied with a smile. "But I'm sure we can handle whatever they throw at us."

Akira shook his head and fixed her with a look that made her blood run cold. "There are no rogues with him but he is not alone."

Tomoe narrowed her eyes and tried to ignore the small knot of fear curling to life in her gut. "What do you mean?"

Akira sighed. "The person he is traveling with is not a mage… but it's not human either…"

An icy chill swept through Tomoe and for a brief moment an image of the white haired man she'd seen with Kanryuu flashed before her eyes. Not a mage and yet… not human. That was the exact same feeling she'd gotten the day Azrael died.

"Is it him?" She muttered more to herself than to her husband. Glancing to Akira she asked, "Then… what is he?"

Akira seemed to stiffen and Tomoe tensed as she peered deeply into her husband's eyes. He knew but it was blatantly obvious he didn't want to tell her.

"What is he, Akira?" Tomoe pressed. Good or bad she had to know.

Nothing but silence met her question and Tomoe was just about to demand an answer when Akira finally said, "If I'm not mistaken… it's a god."

The world seemed to fall out from underneath her as her stomach knotted into a rock hard fist and she felt herself begin to tremble. A god… but… that was…

"Impossible." She murmured shakily. "They're gone. The Ancients destroyed them all save Ryujin who was too powerful for them. That's why he was sealed."

Akira shook his head, his hands gently cradled her cheeks to make her look at him again. "I've been thinking about this ever since I found their trail and it's the only explanation I can come up with. He is unlike anything I've ever felt before. That person is not simply a wielder of power, he _is_ power."

Tomoe's stomach roiled and she clenched her teeth to keep from being sick. If that was true they were doomed. There was no way the four of them could touch such a being. Akira gathered her into his arms and she locked her own around him tight in an attempt to ground herself again.

"Now do you see why I didn't want to tell you yet."

Tomoe could do nothing but clutch him even tighter. He was right, there would be no sleep tonight.

* * *

Later that morning Kaoru woke from her exhaustion induced sleep feeling more refreshed than she had in days. Stretching like a cat, she blinked her eyes open to the semi-dark room and grimaced slightly as a new wound on her back pinched. By the feel of it she'd have another nasty bruise to deal with thanks to the fireball she'd taken the day before. Thankfully it seemed her ribs had finally healed enough though that yesterday's run in hadn't affected them.

Smiling at the thought, she stretched again for good measure relishing the feeling of renewal, before it suddenly dawned on her that she didn't remember going to sleep. Or even preparing the extremely comfortable futon she now rested on. Startled by the realization she sat bolt upright as a shot of adrenaline flew through her veins, instantly obliterating the last tendrils of sleep from her mind.

A faint snore caught her attention over the thundering of her heart and she swung her head around to find Kenshin sleeping on his own futon barely a foot away. For a long moment she simply stared at him as blood continued to hammer through her veins, wondering how she could have been put to bed without even realizing it.

The question soon lost its relevance though as her eyes drifted over his peacefully sleeping features and Kaoru found herself relaxing at the sight. She had never seen the redhead so… unguarded before. The last couple of days he'd always been awake before her so she'd never gotten the chance. A tiny smile curled the edge of her lips. He looked so much younger in his sleep, she could almost imagine him within her reach.

Kaoru's eyes flew wide at the unexpected thought and she quickly looked away before he could wake and catch her in her perusal. Where had _that_ come from?

But no sooner had she tore her eyes from Kenshin then she found the silhouette of someone sitting in the shadows on the opposite side of the room and she froze like a rabbit caught in a wolf's gaze.

"Good morning," a deep, distinctly male voice murmured as the figure inclined his head.

A knot of fear tightened Kaoru's throat and she stiffened even more as a small measure of power unwittingly flooded into her hand.

"Don't scare her, Shishou…"

Kaoru nearly jumped out of her skin when Kenshin's sleep thickened voice sliced through the silence and she swung her attention back to the redhead starting to rise between them.

"… she just might blast you through the wall."

A hearty laugh came from the figure and Kaoru scowled as her face flushed a deep red and she immediately dampened the electricity tickling her palm. "I would not!" she huffed as the man finally rose and moved into the light.

Kenshin cleared his throat lightly to catch her attention and gave her one of those smiles that made the breath catch before he motioned to the dark haired man now settling beside the fire. "I'd like to introduce you to my master, Hiko Seijuro. This is his hut."

Kaoru's eyes rounded in horror as a breathless 'oh' dropped from her lips and she hastily dipped her head in greeting. "I'm sorry! I-"

"It's fine." Hiko cut in with a smirk. "The kid said you might be jumpy when you woke."

Kaoru gave him a strange look, "The kid?"

A large hand motioned to Kenshin and Kaoru almost burst out laughing at the glare the redhead nailed his master with. But before Kenshin could say anything Hiko motioned to the pot steaming over the fire and said, "It's ready if you two are hungry."

Kaoru's belly immediately grumbled in anticipation and Hiko smiled at her as he handed her a bowl and chopsticks then did the same to Kenshin before he rose again and stepped to the door.

"There are a few things I need to do this morning," He explained as he smoothly slid the heavy panel back. "I will return soon."

Kenshin dipped his head in understanding as Hiko stepped through the door.

"He's… different." Kaoru said softly when the door slid closed behind the tall man.

Kenshin smiled and took the bowl from her hands to fill it. "That he is. Growing up with him was… interesting."

Kaoru snorted. "I bet," she murmured, accepting the steaming bowl held out to her. "How old were you when you came to live with him?"

Kenshin paused in pouring out his own meal for a moment before he replied, "Six, I think. He didn't start to train me though until I was eight."

Kaoru's eyes rounded and her laden chopsticks stilled halfway to her mouth. "Your parents didn't mind him taking you that early?"

A shadow passed through Kenshin's eyes as he settled back with his breakfast. "I don't have any parents and the family who was raising me at the time was happy to be rid of me."

Kaoru felt a pang in her chest and she smiled sadly, "I guess we have something in common after all." At his questioning look she muttered, "I don't have any parents either."

Kenshin murmured a soft 'ah' as Kaoru finally took her first bite and a thick silence settled between them as they both set to work demolishing the delicious stew Hiko had made. To be honest family was not something Kaoru liked talking about. She supposed being abandoned had a lot to do with that. She still, to this day, wondered why she'd been left on the side of the road like she had. Was she really that unlovable that her own parents hadn't wanted her?

A hollow smile flickered across her lips. Maybe she was but at least Tomoe didn't think so. Her mentor had done everything she could to fill the void and Kaoru appreciated it more than Tomoe would ever know. Yet, for all the love Tomoe and Akira gave her there was still a huge hole in her heart that she was afraid would never be filled.

The scraping of her chopsticks against the bottom of the bowl drew Kaoru from her thoughts and she realized with a start that she had managed to finish off every last bite. A moment later a similar sound came from beside her and she glanced at Kenshin as he reached over to collect hers.

"There is a small hot spring not far from here," He said as he rose with the dirtied bowls. "Would you like to take a bath now that you've eaten?"

All thoughts of loneliness quickly flew out of her head as a huge smile split her face. "Really?" She hadn't been properly clean in days!

Kenshin gave her one of those smiles that made her heart flutter and nodded. "I'll wash these in another pool while you are bathing," he said lifting the bowls.

Kaoru immediately jumped to her feet and went to fetch her other set of clothes but as soon as she opened the pack holding them she realized the mistake she'd made. She had never taken them out to dry, they'd have to be washed before she could even think about wearing them.

A disappointed sigh spilled from her lips. Which meant no bath today…

"Something wrong?" Kenshin asked.

Kaoru swallowed another sigh and glanced over her shoulder, "I have to wash these before I can wear them."

Kenshin murmured a soft 'oh' then silently moved to a small wooden box she hadn't noticed before and lifted the lid. Curious, Kaoru was just about to wander over to see what was inside when he produced two bundles of white quickly followed by a dark blue one.

"I keep this here to change out my clothes when needed." He explained as he replaced the lid and held them out to her. "The white bundles are a set of hakama and an under kimono and the blue one is a gi."

Kaoru eyed him for a long moment as a strange warmth filled her chest and then she gratefully accepted the clothes. "Thank you."

Kenshin smiled, "Are we ready then?"

Kaoru nodded eagerly and Kenshin snagged a small bag from beside the box then collected the bowls again and headed out the door. Quickly following in his footsteps she slid the door closed behind her and followed him as he padded down the porch to the right where he disappeared around the side of the hut. Picking up her pace she stepped from the porch and followed him around to the back where a small but well tended track led away into the trees.

Without a word Kenshin lead them onto the shadowed path and Kaoru turned her attention to the track to keep from tripping over the exposed roots. Silence seemed to wrap around them as soon as they left the hut behind and Kaoru relished the calm serenity the simple sounds of nature inspired. It wasn't until they were several yards into the quiet forest that Kaoru finally noticed a faint roaring sound that seemed to be blending in with the buzzing of insects and chirping of birds.

Tilting her head to the side, she listened more intently and tried to figure out what is was. The only time she'd heard anything like this was when they had come to the river two days before, it was similar but yet, not quite the same.

"What could it be?" She murmured softly, more to herself than her companion.

Kenshin paused, "What could what be?"

Surprised that he'd heard Kaoru stopped abruptly. "Um… well…. that sound?" she said motioning to the forest with a hand.

Kenshin gave her a strange look as his head canted to the side. A moment later understanding dawned on his face. "Do you mean the waterfall?"

"There's a waterfall here!" Kaoru exclaimed excitedly. She'd heard of them but had never seen one before.

Kenshin smiled at her childlike excitement and dipped his head. "The small river the hot spring empties into eventually leads to a waterfall. Once we've finished I'll show you."

Kaoru couldn't stop the gleeful grin that split her face and Kenshin chuckled as he started up the path again. Several yards later they broke out of the trees into a small circular opening in the forest dominated by a similarly shaped pool barely large enough for one person. Surprised Kaoru eyed the pool in dismay, she might get clean but there was no way she was going to be able soak in that.

Kenshin must have seen her saddened look because he cleared his throat to catch her attention and motioned to the wall of brush and the single boulder that was taller than both of them lining the upper edge of the pool. "The hot spring is just beyond that shield. This pool is for washing."

Kaoru murmured a relieved 'oh' as Kenshin set the dirty bowls on another flat topped rock. Then he loosened the drawstring on the bag and removed a small cloth along with a piece of hard soap before handing it to her.

"Inside is a thin towel, a jar of soap you can use for everything and a cloth to wash with."

Kaoru accepted the items and was just about to say thanks when he pointed to the boulder and said, "Just follow that narrow path around the boulder and you'll find the spring. My master and I are the only ones who know about these pools so you are safe to relax as long as you like."

A surge of anticipation bubbled up in her chest and with a huge grin Kaoru dipped her head then immediately stepped to the small path. "I'll be back soon!" she called over her shoulder as she edged her way onto the track. A soft laugh followed her around the boulder but she ignored it in favor of reaching the blessed water. She had never wanted a bath so badly in her life.

A moment later she rounded the far side of the boulder and smiled wide as the faintly steaming pool came into view. Much to her intense relief it was twice the size of the washing pool and at least half again as deep. With a tiny squeak of happiness, she quickly dropped her clean clothes and the sack on a smooth stone beside the pool and was just about to start undressing when her hands stilled in the air. Was this really… safe?

Eyeing the thick stand of trees and brush encircling the pool, she hesitated for a moment more before she scoffed at her worry and quickly striped down. No one was getting through that without a really good blade so that meant the only way anyone was getting in here was by the path and Kenshin was standing guard there.

As soon as the last of her clothing dropped into the pile at her feet Kaoru stepped into the pool and nearly purred in pleasure. This was pure heaven. Lifting her unbound hair, she deftly coiled it into a messy bun then settled down onto a smooth rock at the bottom of the pool; submerging herself up to her neck.

A contented sigh whispered past her lips as the bone warming heat immediately started soothing her abused body. Thankfully she didn't have much left in the way of aches anymore but she had a feeling that what did remain would be gone after this.

With a small smile she closed her eyes. Hopefully she'd be able to go a day or two without new injuries for a change. At least she didn't foresee getting any today, well that is as long as Takeda didn't find them. A familiar shrill cry suddenly broke into her musings and Kaoru nearly jumped out of her skin as her eyes snapped back open. Immediately turning her attention to the surrounding trees she searched for the oddly colored hawk and found him perched on the boulder separating her and Kenshin.

"Besshi!" She exclaimed. An echo of her shout came from the other side of the boulder as the white-faced hawk cried out again and then he jumped off the tall rock to land beside her. Kaoru grinned and gave his head feathers a loving rub, "What are you doing here?"

Besshi warbled in his throat then lifted his leg enough to catch her attention.

"Oh!" Kaoru murmured in surprise. Reaching for the towel she dried her hands then gently pried the top of the small cylinder off and removed the tightly rolled piece of parchment. Quickly recapping the tube, she unrolled the note as Besshi stepped back.

'Make for Mihama' was written on the scrap in Tomoe's small flowing script and Kaoru felt her stomach plummet to her feet. Mihama! They were miles away from Mihama! There was no way they could make it there before Tomoe. Especially if she had Hachiro with her!

"Kenshin! We have a problem!" She all but shouted in her excitement.

A harsh scraping sound came from the other side of the boulder and Kaoru could almost feel the tension coming from the redhead. "What is it?"

"Tomoe-sama expects to find us in Mihama! We can't make it there before her!"

A loud, relieved sigh came in answer and then Kenshin replied, "Its okay, Kaoru. She knows where we are. She must have sent Besshi before I contacted her yesterday."

Kaoru eyed the rock separating them as Besshi took wing again and disappeared. "How did you do that?"

"My master had a wing pendant like the one you had. I was able to let her know through that."

"Oh," Kaoru muttered, trying to ignore the strange sourness tightening her chest. Shifting slightly in an effort to make it go away she asked, "Are you and Tomoe-sama really that… close?"

A long pause met her question before Kenshin finally answered. "We were for a long time, but we grew apart when she chose to stay behind the shield to protect and raise you."

Kaoru froze. It was her fault they were separated?

"It isn't your fault Kaoru-dono," Kenshin said, somehow reading her thoughts. "For some reason I can't cross the shield. If I could, things might have been different but it seems it wasn't meant to be."

The tone of his voice made that strange feeling tighten her chest again. Wasn't meant to be? Did he mean-? The feeling intensified to the point where her breath caught in her throat and she finally realized what it was. Jealousy.

She was jealous of Tomoe and Kenshin. Their friendship, his love…

Horrified, Kaoru took a quick breath and dunked her head completely under the water to try to wash away the unwanted thoughts. What was she thinking, it's not like they were even like that! At best they were acquaintances. That was it!

The need for air drove her to resurface and she came up spluttering just in time to hear Kenshin frantically calling her name. Surprised, she was just about to call out that she was fine when a loud scuffling sound came and then Kenshin's head popped out from around the side of the boulder. The clear worry on his face made her pause for a split second before she let out an ear piercing scream and instinctively launched a small fireball at him as she threw her free arm over her breasts. "What are you _doing?_!"

A hasty '_sorry!_' came from the startled redhead and he was gone by the time the dust settled from her instinctive attack.

Flushing a deep red with embarrassment, Kaoru called out, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean-"

"It's fine, Kaoru-dono." Kenshin cut in. "I shouldn't have assumed the worst."

Kaoru stared at the boulder for a long moment before she shook her head and gave up. He had every right to wariness after the last couple of days. With a sigh she reached for the sack to withdraw the jar of soap and cloth. There was no way she was going to be able to relax now.

"I'll be finished in a couple of minutes." She called out to her stubborn companion. A low 'ah' was her only answer and she set to work washing away the last couple of days.

Ten minutes later she was clean, dressed and standing beside the pool wringing water from her hair. Normally she'd use a water spell to dry her hair but she'd forgotten to grab her ribbon so leaving it wet would be much easier until they returned to the hut. With one final twist she wrestled the last drop from the damp strands then finger combed it the best she could. A stubborn snarl made her wince and she worked it free before she packed away the bathing items and towel, grabbed her dirty clothes and headed around the boulder.

As soon as Kenshin came into view, Kaoru felt her cheeks warm with embarrassment but the redhead simply smiled and waved to a barely noticeable track leading away from the one they'd used before.

"Would you still like to see the waterfall?"

All embarrassment instantly fled under a sudden surge of anticipation and with a vigorous nod she exclaimed, "Yes!"

Kenshin laughed and relieved her of the sack. Dropping the cleaned bowls inside, he waved her to follow and started picking his way along the overgrown path. Kaoru eagerly took off after him as her ears zeroed in on the rumbling sound she'd heard before.

Ahead of her Kenshin found his attention far from the waterfall as he broke the path for them and instead on the woman behind him. His clothes fit her better than he'd expected they would, the hakama barely brushed the ground and the gi, while a little large in the shoulders, still draped around her like it was meant for her. The dark blue material wasn't helping either, the shade made her sapphire eyes nearly gleam in the morning sunlight.

Kenshin shook his head and broke a limb from the path as they came up beside the small river. Tomoe had worn his clothes once a long time ago but they had never seemed to fit her quite as well as they did Kaoru. It was unsettling and yet strangely… enticing…

Stomping the thought into smithereens before it could take root, he resisted the urge to rub his head. If he kept up with that train of thought he was going to be in a lot of trouble. And yet, if he was to be honest with himself he was already finding it difficult to keep them under lock and key.

Much to his relief the land soon began to slope sharply and they passed the well traveled path that led back to the village. A little further down the weed choked trail they finally reached the small plateau of grass that hugged this side of the large pool the river cascaded into on its trek to the village.

Kaoru could barely contain herself as the waterfall came into view and she shot past Kenshin as soon as she could, stumbling to a stop at the very edge of the pool. She gasped when her eyes landed on the shimmering water tumbling over the edge of the world twenty feet above only to crash against the boulders below. Watching in awe as the spray misted into the air, she smiled as the tiny crystalline droplets caught the sunlight and turned the air into a rainbow of colors.

She had seen several paintings of waterfalls in books and along the walls in the manor but none of them had been able to capture the sheer power created here in this violently splashing water. Without thinking she dropped her clothes and whispered a spell she'd only ever used on calm water then stepped out onto the swirling pool.

Kenshin grabbed her arm before she could take another step and she glanced over her shoulder with a reassuring smile, "I've done this before. I won't go far, I promise."

Kenshin's expression remained dubious but he let her go anyway and Kaoru sure-footedly stepped further into the pool. At first the liquid stilled beneath each step but as she got closer to the violently churning froth at the base of the falls, the water became more than she could control and she was forced to stop several feet from where she truly wanted to be.

This was raw power at its best. Here, where earth and water collided, a wellspring of pure energy was continuously being created. Their collective power hummed though her boots from the soles of her feet all the way up her legs and deep into her chest. The feeling was enough to make the breath catch in her throat. Something deep within her answered their seductive call and she was just about to reach for the torrent of power when Kenshin suddenly hissed her name.

Startled, her concentration slipped for a brief moment and her feet dropped into the water up to her ankles, soaking her boots. Quickly resetting the spell she swung her attention to the redhead on the shore and was just about to ask what when she heard the distinct sound of a child's high pitched voice over the waterfall. Oh, gods! Someone was coming!

In the next instant she was running across the water as fast as she could and managed to reach the shore before whoever it was came into view. But no sooner had she set foot on solid ground then Kenshin grabbed her wrist and she found herself being pulled across the small clearing into the trees right beside the waterfall.

Surprised, Kaoru wondered what they were doing when Kenshin tugged her into a narrow gap in the thick stand of brush shaded by the tree and tucked her in front of him against the wall forming the waterfall on this side. Kaoru's face flamed bright red at the feel of him along every inch of her body and she instinctively tried to push away from him. What the-!

"Your eyes…" Kenshin murmured so softly she almost didn't hear as he leaned even more against her to keep her from fighting.

Kaoru immediately stilled. That's right! She was supposed to be blind! If whoever was coming had seen her without the ribbon they'd know she and Kenshin had been lying. With a soft sigh, she sagged against the wall and whispered, "That would have been bad."

Kenshin nodded in agreement as the pair they were hiding from finally entered the small clearing. She could hear their voices but the sound of the crashing water was so loud that she couldn't make out what was being said.

Which left her nothing to focus on but the man holding her in place. Not good.

Kaoru felt her cheeks pink again as her full attention settled on the redhead against her will and she noticed for the first time that although he was small he was far more muscular than she'd originally thought. She could feel the hard, smooth planes of his chest through all the layers of clothes separating them.

And yet, that wasn't what really captured her attention, it was the gentle sandalwood scent she recognized from her own bath blended in with something far more… masculine.

Her cheeks darkened even more as her body reacted to the thought and she closed her eyes and attempted to focus her mind somewhere else before she accidentally let her wayward emotions show. But it was incredibly hard when all she could feel and smell was him. Of their own accord her hands fisted in his shirt and she rested her forehead against his shoulder.

When were they going to go away?…

Unbeknownst to her, Kenshin was thinking the very same thing as her head settled against his collar bone and he desperately tried to ignore the warmth flowing through his gi from every point where they touched. This was getting dangerous now. He was already finding it difficult to keep their relationship nothing more than friendship when she was at a distance but this was making it near impossible. It didn't help that she seemed to be reacting to him too even if she was desperately trying to hide it.

He fisted his hand against the rock above her head and silently prayed that Aiko and her granddaughter would finish their chores quickly. If this went on for too long he was going to end up throwing caution to the wind, consequences be damned. But much to his dismay several more excruciatingly long minutes passed before Aiko finally hustled the little girl towards the path leading back to the village. An inaudible sigh of relief spilled from his lips when they vanished from sight and he moved back. "They're gone."

Kaoru exhaled softly and slowly lifted her head enough to meet his eyes. The last of his resolve nearly shattered at the touch of regret marring her otherwise relieved expression. If she kept that up he was never going to be able to keep it platonic between them.

"Let's go before anyone else comes." He said shifting his attention to the empty glade and moved out of the narrow hiding spot before he could give in.

Kaoru managed a weak, "Yeah…" and followed as he led them back onto the path that would take them back to his master's hut. Her emotions slowly started to settle down the further up the path they went and she sighed in relief.

Yet even though a companionable silence seemed to fall between them as they continued on she had the distinct feeling that for some reason Kenshin was coiled as tightly as she had been.

But what she couldn't puzzle out was why.

* * *

They are falling hard... ;D

Thanks for reading!


	13. Matters of the Heart

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Wow, I can't believe it took me all summer to get this chapter done. I am really very sorry for those of you who have been waiting, I didn't mean for this to happen. The only excuse I can give you is my addiction to the late Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series reared it's ugly head early on and devoured all of my attention. I love this man's work but had to stop reading because I couldn't stand the wait between books so now that the final book is scheduled for release in early 2012, I decided to reread from the very start. Again I'm sorry.

Also before I go I'd like to take a moment to let the authors who are reading know that there is a new community created by rikkitsune at Livejournal called rk_fic_exchange. I myself haven't been able to join yet thanks to Jordan but I think it'll be fun once I do. So if you're interested go join. ^_^

Chapter 13 - Matters of the Heart

Early afternoon found Kenshin and Kaoru within the small village of Jouden. Sitting in the shade of a tall oak beside the path that led back to Hiko's hut, Kenshin nibbled halfheartedly on the onigiri Fuyu-chan had given him when they'd first arrived and watched Kaoru with hooded eyes.

The visit to the village had not been their idea. Aiko-san could be very forceful when she wanted to be and it seemed after her excursion to the waterfall she had decided to remind them that the newly married couple still had quite a bit of explaining to do and had sent a message with his master saying as much.

A rueful smile touched his lips for a moment. Which was the reason why Kaoru was now firmly ensconced between two of the nosiest women in the village, Aiko being one of them. While another three busybodies were working the paddy next to them. It was obvious by their probing looks and smiles that even the three tending matrons were involved in the conversation he could clearly tell the blue-eyed, apprentice mage wished she wasn't a part of. Several times she had shifted as if to rise then plucked at the blindfold that made it all but impossible to leave on her own.

A part of him felt guilty for abandoning her to the women as soon as they'd arrived but another, larger part was relieved by the distance it afforded him. Ever since the waterfall this morning he'd been on edge and nothing he'd done so far to calm himself seemed to work. It was as if a part of him had finally acknowledged what she had come to mean to him in the time they'd known each other and it wasn't going to give in to his rational side.

"All right kid, out with it."

Kenshin jumped as the gruff demand cut into his thoughts and he swung his attention to Hiko who now sat beside him against the large trunk and grimaced, ashamed at the ease with which his master had been able to sneak up on him. It had been years since the aged swordsman had been able to do that.

With a slight frown, Kenshin eyed him warily, "Out with what?"

Hiko snorted softly before giving him an infuriating grin. "You have been staring holes into Kaoru's head for the last ten minutes. Why?"

Kenshin inwardly winced. Had he really been that obvious? Outwardly his face remained calm and he swallowed another sigh as he shifted his attention back to the villagers going about their daily chores. He should have expected it. His master had always been observant but he had hoped that this time he could keep his problems to himself.

"I'm just feeling a little guilty for abandoning her to Aiko-san.'" Kenshin replied smoothly glancing to where the handful of women were still talking. Not a lie exactly. Hopefully his master would accept that and not press for the truth. A faint snort came in answer in a tone Kenshin knew all too well. His weak excuse wasn't cutting it.

"If you want her, fight for her this time." Hiko stated bluntly. "Don't let this one walk away."

Kenshin stiffened minutely but kept his attention fixed on the raven haired mage across the way. He hadn't expected his master to have figured _that_ out already. "I can't," he murmured after a moment, forcing his hands to unclench. "When I deliver her to the manor she will disappear behind the shield and most likely never come out again."

An almost palpable silence dropped into the space between them at that but he could feel the older swordsman's glare drilling into his head.

Kaoru shifted uneasily and Kenshin smiled hollowly to himself. As much as he wished it wasn't the truth the stark reality said otherwise. Kaoru had said as much herself two days ago. Not to mention Tomoe and Akira would likely keep her as close to them as they could after what had already happened.

"You don't think you can protect her as well as that shield?" Hiko asked coldly, the ice frosting his tone cutting the silence to shreds. Kenshin stiffened even more at the sheer contempt dripping from the question but before he could reply Hiko continued. "You, who are all but a master of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu and trained by the Yukishiro family themselves to battle mages of every _caliber_?"

Kenshin nearly flinched at the uncharacteristic rising of his master's voice. Ignoring the startled looks a couple of villagers gave them, he turned stony eyes to the only father figure he'd ever known, "Whether I can protect her or not is irrelevant. If she stays with me she will face not only her own enemies but mine too. There are still rogue mages who hunt _me_ because of the shogun's incursions I participated in ten years ago. I will not risk her like that and neither will Tomoe-dono. For that matter I'll be lucky if Tomoe doesn't burn me to a crisp for even thinking about Kaoru in that way!"

For a long moment Hiko simply glared at him before he sighed disgustedly and shook his head. "Yukishiro-san has no say in what that girl decides she wants and you know it. That is only an excuse." Without another word the elder swordsman rose and, stiff backed, headed up the path towards home.

Kenshin watched him go with a frown. It _was_ an excuse but one he would hold to no matter how hard it became.

* * *

Across the well traveled path from where Kenshin sat, Kaoru was absently picking at the sleeve of the dark blue gi he had loaned her and tried to ignore the incessant itch tingling between her shoulders blades. Someone was staring at her and it was starting to get on her nerves. It didn't help that she was once again blindfolded so she couldn't even look over her shoulder to see who it was.

"You say you and Kenshin have been married for six months?" Midori, Meguro-san's wife asked from where she sat to Kaoru's left. A quick dip of Kaoru's head affirmed the lie she and Kenshin had come up with and the elderly woman suddenly exclaimed, "Then why aren't you heavy with child yet?"

Stunned, Kaoru stiffened and nearly choked on thin air as her cheeks flamed bright red in mortification but before she could even gather breath for a reply Midori sniffed and continued, "He's not getting any younger you know, it's about time he settled down with a family." A faint breeze wafted past Kaoru's cheek. "Wandering is no way for a young couple to live."

"Neither of us are ready for children yet!" Kaoru retorted hotly when she finally found her voice. Children! What was the woman thinking! What had _they_ been thinking when they'd start this lie in the first place! She didn't know how much longer she could handle this questioning. They had already hit her with how she and Kenshin had met, what Kenshin had done to catch her attention, how he had asked her to be his wife and several more… probing questions she still blushed to think about. Midori-san had joined them late in the conversation/interrogation so thankfully she had missed _those_ questions but still… children?…!

"You may not be ready but Kenshin has been for years now." Aiko replied into the hush that had fallen. "He has always loved children. We all thought he and Tomoe-san would be married and have a brood by now but things didn't quite work out for them."

An icy chill swept through Kaoru. Her fault. No matter how she looked at it, it was her fault they had been separated. With a small frown she shook it off the best she could. Ignoring the tiny twinge of jealousy pinching her chest she asked, "Were they really that close?"

A soft sigh came from somewhere in front of her and one of the women in the field, Yuka if she wasn't mistaken, replied, "They were inseparable from the time they were ten until Tomoe-chan stopped coming to the village at fifteen. Three years later we heard she had married another and Kenshin left the village to wander and hasn't stopped since."

Kaoru felt as if she'd been punched in the gut. She nearly jumped when a weathered hand suddenly patted her wrist.

"Don't worry dear. He is nothing more than friends with that young woman and her husband now." Aiko consoled gently. "He wouldn't have married you if he didn't love you."

Kaoru tried to smile but she had a feeling it ended up being more of a grimace. This lie was going to kill her yet, or at the very least twist her heart into a bloody mess. A soundless sigh spilled from her lips, she really was an idiot for letting herself fall for him. There was no way he could love her back, it just wasn't possible. Not after what she'd done. Even if she had only been five years old at the time and unaware of what her mentor was giving up for her.

Another pat came and Aiko whispered, "Your husband is coming to fetch you. I believe he and Hiko-san just had words."

Surprised, Kaoru was just about to ask what they had to argue about when she felt a presence drop down behind her and then a hand gently grasped her elbow, urging her to rise.

"If you will excuse me I'd like to take Kaoru home now." Kenshin said in a flat voice. Kaoru flinched at the tone and let him guide her to her feet. Murmured assents came from the women surrounding her and Kaoru dipped her head in their general direction in goodbye before he led her away. Once he'd guided her onto the path leading to Hiko's hut she hesitantly asked, "Is everything okay?"

For a brief moment Kenshin's grip tightened and then with a soft 'yes' he released her elbow and threaded her arm through his as if it was the most natural thing to do. Kaoru swallowed as warmth flooded though her chest and she lifted her face in his direction with a frown. Something was bothering him, she could tell even with the blindfold on.

"No it isn't," Kaoru replied before she could stop herself. "What did you and Hiko-san argue about?" She knew it was really none of her business but after the interrogation she'd just had to endure she didn't really care; her good humor was all but gone.

Kenshin stiffened but remained quiet which managed to irritate her even more. For kami's sake she had to live with them until she and Kenshin left, she deserved to know what was going on between the two!

The redhead must have sensed her growing irritation because he finally murmured, "It's nothing."

Kaoru nearly growled and without a thought for what she was doing, she tugged the ribbon from her eyes and winced as bright light suddenly invaded her pupils. Quickly blinking away the spots dancing through her vision she slanted a glare at Kenshin. The calm smile he met her with did nothing to alleviate her aggravation and she narrowed her eyes suspiciously. He was hiding something. What could it be that he didn't want to share with her? Granted they weren't all that close but still, she thought they had at least become friends.

And then it dawned on her as they turned a bend towards the hut. Maybe he'd had a conversation like the one she'd just had. Hiko-san knew Kenshin and Tomoe's past and her own with Tomoe. Did he blame their separation on her too? That thought was enough to dampen her anger and she grimaced as something in her chest twisted painfully.

"I'm sorry," she said suddenly, giving her attention back to the path.

Kenshin stiffened again and she almost stumbled when he pulled her to a stop. "For what?" he asked clearly taken aback and, if she wasn't mistaken, a touch angry.

Kaoru glanced into his violet eyes and with a shrug gave him a weak smile. "For taking Tomoe-sama away from you."

The look of surprise that flew across his face almost made her smile for real but the look was soon lost under a hard one that she'd never seen on the redhead before. "Is that what those women told you?" he snapped angrily.

Kaoru jerked at the steel in his voice but before she could reply he sighed heavily and shook his head. "You did not take her away from me, Kaoru. She made her choice. I stood behind her decision then and I still do now."

Kaoru frowned. "Then why did you leave the village as soon as you heard Tomoe-sama had married Akira-san?"

Kenshin gave her a sad smile. "I didn't leave because of that," he replied as he started them up the path again. "I was relieved when they married. I knew Akira would take care of her, that she had made the right choice, so I decided it was time for me to make my own way in the world and I did."

Kaoru scowled to herself and eyed him askance for a long moment hoping for some clue that he was still holding back. But there was nothing. His face was as calm as it had been earlier. With a soft sigh she stomped down the part of her that still wanted to disagree, and let the conversation drop. At least it didn't seem like he held it against her, which she was grateful for.

Maybe there really was still a chance for her to become more to him than just Tomoe's charge.

* * *

Six miles south of Jouden, Tomoe and the others were quickly but cautiously making their way through a thick stand of trees. Not a twig or leaf stirred in their passage but Tomoe knew all their efforts to remain unnoticed were for naught because according to Akira, Kanryuu and his companion hadn't moved for nearly an hour. Which meant the black mage knew they were coming and had chosen his ground to wait for them.

Her stomach curled at the thought and she strengthened the well of power she'd been holding for the last twenty minutes. The fact that he had stopped proved that whoever was with him was someone to be reckoned with. Kanryuu himself would never had faced the four of them alone or even with a single rogue. Which made her start to believe that maybe Akira was right.

She wasn't the only one who felt that way either. All of them had summoned as much power as they could hold and were eyeing the shadows waiting for Takeda to show his face. The black mage had never been one for an open fight and she doubted he would be this time either, with a god on his side or not.

Another tense mile passed beneath their feet and Tomoe was starting to think Kanryuu had moved on after all when Akira leaned into her ear and murmured, "They are just ahead."

She tensed and nodded in understanding. They had only gone another five yards more when the trees unexpectedly gave way to a small, sunlit grassy meadow. Her momentum carried her several paces into the clearing before she could stop and Tomoe sense the danger immediately but she knew it was too late. They had stumbled into a trap.

A sudden shower of jagged lightning bolts rained down from the clear blue sky and slammed into the ground a mere three feet from where the four of them had stopped, ripping the meadow to shreds. A cry ripped from Tomoe's throat as the force of the strike tore the ground out from under her feet and she was thrown her backwards into Shougo, tumbling them both to the ground.

For a moment the world seemed to spin out of control and Tomoe had the sick feeling that she was still tumbling through the air. Gritting her teeth, she quickly shook it off and bounded to her feet as fast as she could to find Akira and Hachiro already up and poised to strike, both nearly vibrating with the amount of power they held.

"I can't tell where he is anymore." Akira grated under his breath. "The entire area is flooded with power."

An icy chill swept through Tomoe and with barely a thought she surrounded all four of them with the strongest shield she could erect. It was nowhere near as strong as one of Sayo's but it was the best she could do.

In the next instant the shield was put to the test when the world around them suddenly flared to life in a white hot firestorm, the inferno so intense that the swaying grass outside the shield instantly exploded into ash. Ignoring the beads of sweat coating her face, she held the barrier in a death grip determined not to let the black mage win. A faint groan ripped from her throat as another source of power suddenly started striking the flimsy shield again and again, the force of it creating tiny tears she couldn't repair.

"I c-can't hold i-it much longer…" She managed to get out between clenched teeth. The fine tendrils of raw power assaulting her through the tears was almost enough to bring her to her knees. If she didn't let go soon the backlash of her own power along with the force pressing against it would kill her.

A tiny nod of understanding came from the two men she could see and with a single word she released it but not before sending out her own surprise along the path of origin of the elemental fire Takeda had forgotten to obliterate. She would have smiled if she wasn't so exhausted at the sudden howl of agony that came from somewhere off to their left. The firestorm immediately vanished with the sound, leaving nothing but the overwhelming stench of burned earth. A sudden roar tore the silence to shreds and a huge male tiger bounded past her across what was left of the field and into the trees where the howl had come from with Shougo right on its heels. Hachiro followed a heartbeat later leaving her and Akira alone in the remains of the meadow.

Akira moved in front of her as more lightning bolts danced amidst the trees Shougo and Hachiro had disappeared into, the strikes shaking the ground under their feet.

"Are you okay?" He asked in a tight voice over his shoulder.

Tomoe nodded at his back but couldn't find the energy to voice her answer. The truth is she felt like she'd been beaten from head to toe with a stout club, her knees were shaking and it took everything she had just to remain standing but she'd never tell him that. He'd try to send her away and she wasn't going anywhere with a god somewhere out there among the trees.

"Maybe you sho - "

Akira was suddenly cut off when a blood curdling roar of pain erupted from where the others had disappeared and then a body suddenly hurtled past them to slam into the ground a handful of feet away. Tomoe paled and swallowed back the bile rising in her throat at the sight of the fist size smoking hole in Hachiro's chest, his sightless eyes staring emptily at the cloudless sky.

Wrenching her eyes away from the dead Sanada, she turned as the sound of movement came from where Hachiro had been hurled and she went completely white as Takeda and another, taller man who virtually glowed with barely contained power calmly walked out of the shelter of the trees. A body slung carelessly over the white haired man's shoulder.

Shougo.

Tomoe's stomach rolled and she almost lost the battle to keep her meager breakfast where it belonged. Was he dead too?

"Those two weren't worth the fight." Kanryuu remarked callously when the pair reached them. The other man shook off Shougo as if he was nothing more than a sack of rice and the mage fell to the ground in a boneless heap. Tomoe almost winced at the sight of his tattered chest. He too had a fist sized hole drilled into his flesh but where Hachiro's was directly over his heart, Shougo's was more to the right as if the strike had been deflected at the last minute.

Heartened by the sight, she quickly searched him for some sign of life and was relieved to see his battered chest move ever so slightly with a shaky breath. He was alive… for now. An injury like that had to be taken care of quickly or he wasn't going to survive.

Which meant they had to finish this now.

Tomoe swallowed and dug up the last of her reserves as she turned her attention back to the pair standing in front of Akira and stepped around her husband so she could face them head on.

And immediately felt the world drop out from underneath her feet when she got her first really good look at the face of the man Akira had claimed to be god. Before this she had only seen him from afar or through Azrael's eyes so she hadn't noticed. But now, seeing him here barely three feet away from her, there was no mistaking him, even aged and white haired as he was now she could still see the little brother she had thought lost all those years ago.

"Enishi…"

The name whispered from between her lips before she could stop herself and the man turned his full attention on her as Kanryuu laughed.

"So you do recognize him." The black mage said with a grin. "I didn't think you would after all the changes he has undergone. But I suppose he does look quite a bit like his father doesn't he?"

Tomoe swallowed thickly, ignoring the jab and simply stared at the man. It was true, he did look like their father but what had caught her attention the most was that he still had their mother's eyes, even red as they were now. It had been the one defining trait everyone had noticed when he was a child.

"How?" She managed to croak around the lump in her throat.

Kanryuu gave her an oily smile. "I was with the band who killed your family. Your parents were easy enough to kill but your brother refused to die even when he was on the brink so I took him for… re-education instead."

The callous remark hit Tomoe like a fist and she summoned what power she could handle in her weakened state, ready to strike the black mage in any way she could when Kanryuu turned a grin on Enishi and added, "He came in handy when I finally found Suzaku too."

The name stopped her dead in her tracks and she shivered violently as the spell she'd been preparing fell to pieces. The implication was clear but Tomoe turned widened eyes on her brother and desperately searched for some sign that it wasn't true. But there was nothing. Akira was right, this person wasn't even human anymore. This wasn't Enishi, it was something else. Suzaku if Kanryuu was telling the truth. The creature of legend who was believed to have been the birth of fire magic centuries ago.

Tomoe swallowed thickly as tears burned her eyes and she instinctively strengthened the well of power within her until it burned like hot cinders just beneath her skin. He was not Enishi, that much was painfully obvious. He brother was gone beyond her reach again and for some reason that simply truth hurt a hundred times more than it had thirteen years ago when she'd lost him the first time.

Gathering herself as best she could she finally noticed Akira virtually humming with barely contained power and she laid a restraining hand on his arm to keep him from striking. If this was Suzaku they didn't stand a chance, especially being fire users. Her husband stiffened but still continued to eye the creature wearing Enishi's face.

Turning her attention on him herself she asked, "If you are what he says you are, how did you survive the purge?"

"The Ancients didn't know that he alone has the ability to partially regenerate over time unless every last fiber of his being is destroyed." Kanryuu replied instead. "Ryujin knew and told me to find him."

The creature smiled at that. "My brother will not be bound much longer." He replied in a deep, sonorous voice that reverberated through her entire being. "Soon the mahou tsukai and the host will be in our hands."

Startled by what Kanryuu had implied Tomoe froze at the creature's words. Akira stiffened into a rock under her hand.

The host?

Turning wide, frightened eyes on Kanryuu she shook her head. That's… impossible. The seal has remained undisturbed for a thousand years. There was no way a host could have been created!

"How?" She murmured sickly.

Kanryuu smirked, "Ryujin has weakened the seal enough on his side to touch the world. He can speak to or touch anyone standing before the smooth stone face of his prison." A sly look came into the black mage's eyes. "He knew when you visited last. He hopes you come again. This time he will not be so… restrained."

An icy shiver of dread vibrated through her entire body as everything fell into place. Suzaku. The host. And Kaoru, the only person in the world who could break open the seal. Together they could free Ryujin.

Before she even knew what she was doing Tomoe focused everything she had into her right arm and took a step towards the two men to strike. She wouldn't let that happen. She couldn't let that happen! Not to Kaoru!

She got no further than that though when Akira suddenly shot past her and flung himself at Suzaku; his body radiating raw power in one of the most destructive spells they knew.

Tomoe threw her arms up to shield her face just in time and staggered a couple of steps back as the concussion of the blast rocked the earth beneath her feet. Recovering as fast as she could, she cried out when she saw Akira, his skin and clothes blackened and tattered, crumble to the ground in front of the unharmed god.

In the next instant a crushing blow struck her dead in the chest and blood sprayed from her mouth as she stumbled backwards and fell to her knees. No sooner did she hit the ground then a hand fisted in her hair and wrenched her head back so she was forced to look into Kanryuu's face.

"Ryuijin will be freed and I _will_ be a god!" The black mage snarled angrily. His eyes blazed with insane fury and Tomoe saw her death clearly written in their black depths. "I will not let you stop _me_!"

She winced as he wrenched her head back even more and she instinctively called forth every ounce of power she could handle again to strike at him but stopped when she realized that even if she did succeed against Kanryuu it would still leave Suzaku. Kaoru would still be in danger with no idea what was coming for her. Takeda sneered at her hesitation and she saw him lift his free hand as if to strike and Tomoe did the only thing she could think of. She used the power swimming beneath her skin and silently activated the teleporting spell.

She knew even as she felt the sickening feeling that marked the beginning of the shift that this could very well kill her in the state she was in. But if she was going to die she would rather do it warning Kaoru than here where her death would be for nothing.

A heartbeat later the world turned itself inside out and Tomoe silently screamed at the excruciating pain suddenly tearing through her body and scalp. However as quickly as it had come the pain vanished and Tomoe felt herself crash into the unforgiving ground.

A groan escaped her throat as she rolled off her side onto her back and she simply laid there wondering if she'd made it. She was alive that much she knew, at least for the moment, but it wouldn't matter if she hadn't reached Jouden.

"Tomoe-sama!" A familiar voice suddenly cried out frantically and she would have smiled if she'd had the strength to. She had made it. A harsh scuffling sound quickly followed and Tomoe forced her eyes open as her upper body was lifted and cradled.

She did smile weakly when she met the frightened blue eyes Kaoru had fixed on her. "Tomoe-sama, what -"

With the last of her energy Tomoe shook her head, cutting Kaoru off and glanced behind her to where Kenshin was watching just as worriedly at her shoulder.

"Run…"

The word came out as more of a sigh but Kenshin heard and he stiffened for a split second, searching her eyes for the reason like she knew he would, before he nodded in understanding and laid a hand on Kaoru's shoulder.

She would be safe from any and all who came looking for her.

Tomoe smiled at his silent reassurance and finally gave up the fight to remain conscious. Her eyes slip closed of their own accord as wave of darkness quickly swept her under with Kaoru's frantic cries following her into oblivion.

* * *

Thanks for reading! :D


	14. The Hunter and the Hunted

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Hello all, only took me a month and half this time. I'm trying to get back to at least monthly updates but I can't guarantee anything. Jordan still has most of my attention. I'm on book twelve now so there's only one more to read before I'm like everyone else waiting for the final book. However that one is the size of two and the reader who managed to read that in three days, (you know who you are) I give you props for that. That book is huge.

Anyhow, enough about that, on with the chapter...

Chapter 14 - The Hunter and the Hunted

_Run_

The word echoed hollowly in Kenshin's mind as he hurriedly packed the spare clothes he'd gathered from his small chest. Stuffing them into the weatherproof pack already holding the other necessities he and Kaoru would likely need along with her wakizashi, he rose and scanned the room for anything else that might come in handy. Finding nothing he slung the pack on his back and quickly stepped out into the afternoon sunshine again. In the yard Kaoru hadn't moved a muscle except to curl herself around Tomoe as if she was trying to protect her from whatever had caused the severe damage the adept mage had already suffered. His master stood in front of her guarding them both.

"Go north." Hiko said as Kenshin came up beside Kaoru. "Even if they come they will expect you to go southwest towards the manor."

Kenshin frowned as he reached down to grasp Kaoru's arm, "The manor is where we need to go whether they follow us or not. It's the only place she will be safe from what is coming for her." With an angry grumble that Kenshin couldn't make out Kaoru resisted his gentle urgings to let go of Tomoe, expression softening he murmured, "Kaoru we have to go. She will be safe with Hiko, I promise."

"You can turn back later. For now go north." Hiko pressed in a tone that brooked no argument. Kenshin gave him a probing look but said nothing when he noticed the baleful glare Kaoru had speared him with but before she could voice her angry refusal his master crouched down in front of her.

"Tomoe-san risked her life to warn you of the danger she has already faced. Will you throw away the chance she has given you?"

The glare immediately shifted to Hiko before it melted away to be replaced by a sheepish, if still angry look. "No," she murmured sullenly. Slowly she began to unfold Tomoe from her chest and Hiko reached out to gather the fallen mage to his own.

"You can help her right?" Kaoru demanded before his master could so much as lay a finger on Tomoe. "She's not going to die right?"

A faint smile devoid of humor touched Hiko's lips. "I will do all I can to make sure she survives."

Kaoru continued to eye him skeptically for a moment longer before she sighed and finally relinquished her hold completely. "I'm going to hold you to that, Hiko-san." she muttered with a touch of fire in her sapphire eyes. A true smile creased his master's face as Tomoe was smoothly transferred between them. The adept mage hadn't stirred once since she'd passed out but she was still alive; the slow, shallow rise and fall of her chest proved that. Kenshin was sure that was the only thing keeping Kaoru sane at the moment.

"I would expect nothing less." He said as he rose with Tomoe held securely in his arms and then without another word he vanished into the hut. Kenshin saw the action for the dismissal that it was and as soon as Kaoru gained her feet he motioned for her to the follow him around the hut to the path that would lead towards the hot spring. North as his master had suggested, at least for now.

He was almost around the side of the hut when he realized that Kaoru wasn't with him. A glance over his shoulder showed him that she was still standing where he'd left her with a slight frown on her face staring at the shadowed doorway Hiko had disappeared into.

"Kaoru-dono?" He called out to catch her attention. Kaoru jumped and with a embarrassed look immediately started towards him. Kenshin smiled to himself and was just about to set off again himself when a teeth jarring crash suddenly split the afternoon air. The earth beneath his feet shivered violently and he spun around to search for the source just in time to see a jagged bolt of lightning slice down from the clear blue sky to slam into the ground beyond the trees, near the village.

The ground shivered again in answer to the assault but Kenshin barely felt it as he shot towards Kaoru. There was only one person that could be and they both knew it. But even knowing that didn't stop the blue-eyed mage from taking off for the path leading to the village, rage clearly lining every muscle in her body.

Kenshin nearly growled and with one last burst of speed caught her wrist before she could start down the path. "Now is not the time to face him, Kaoru."

Lightning quick Kaoru spun on him. Her face taut with apprehension "But he's attacking the village!" she shouted trying to wrench her arm out of his grip. "They can't defend themselves against someone like him!"

Kenshin tightened his hold and pulled her towards him until they were nearly nose to nose. "Neither can you." he stated icily. Kaoru froze at his tone and he almost regretted it. Almost.

"He is not alone, Kaoru, and whoever is with him helped him do _that_ to Tomoe." He continued with a nod towards the hut. "She came here to warn us of them and I'm not about to let her sacrifice be for nothing by letting you put yourself in their hands."

A look of utter shame and frustration crossed Kaoru's face before she scowled fiercely and glanced back to the trail again. Another explosion shook the ground and Kenshin decided he'd waited long enough and started hauling her towards the back of the hut. Much to his intense relief she didn't fight and within moments they were on the path racing for the hot spring and the river beyond. A couple of more explosions followed on the heels of the last but by the time they had reached the pools the forest had gone eerily silent.

Ignoring the sense of foreboding tightening his chest, Kenshin guided them past the pools and onto a little used track that would lead them to the small river. From there they would follow that until he deemed it safe enough to turn back south. He needed to get her to the manor before Takeda found them again. It was the only safe place left for her until the black mage and whoever was with him were dealt with. The only question that remained now was who was strong enough to take them on. Before today he would have said Tomoe but Takeda had already proven that untrue.

The river soon came into view and Kenshin set aside his worry as he slowed and turned them into the trees that hugged the river on this side. Their pace dropped even more as they started picking their way through the heavy undergrowth that flourished along the bank thanks to the wet land and plentiful sunshine. But right now he didn't care, the river masked any sound they were making which was better than finding an easier route.

They had been fighting their way through the grasping brush for several minutes when Kaoru suddenly tugged on her arm. Surprised that he was still holding onto her, Kenshin immediately released her wrist and was just about to apologize when she grasped his hand before it fell back to his side and gave it a gentle tug to catch his attention. Curious, he stopped and gave her a questioning look.

"We might make better time if we cross the river." She noted with a quick glance to the far side where a long swath of grassland ran along the water instead of trees. The woodland there stood several paces inland, still shadowed but not nearly as thick with undergrowth as this side.

Eying the area himself he shook his head. The river here was at least chest deep on him, making it about shoulder deep on her and the current was not as gentle as it looked on the surface. They would never make it across.

"It's calm enough here for me to get us across without going into the water." Kaoru said as if she'd somehow read his thoughts. Kenshin glanced back to her and felt his throat tighten at the slight smile she was giving him.

Ignoring it the best he could he gave her a skeptical look. "You can take us both?"

Kaoru's smile widened. "Of course or I wouldn't have said so. Come on," she said with a tug on his hand, "It'll be better than trying to push through this."

Still not quite believing, Kenshin let her lead him to the water's edge and watched as she whispered something under her breath, and then stepped out onto the water. The liquid beneath her foot immediately stilled to a smooth sheen and he watched amazed as the stillness continued to grow until she was surrounded by a three foot wide circle of mirrored water. Absently he noticed his scar begin to throb slightly and with his free hand he checked to see if it was bleeding again but there was nothing to feel except for roughened skin.

"Come on." Kaoru coaxed, tugging his hand as she placed her other foot on the water. "I swear I won't drop us into the water."

Kenshin smirked at the grin she gave him and he dropped the hand investigating his cheek then cautiously stepped out onto her magicked platform, half expecting it to crack under his weight. But much to his surprise the surface remained smooth, as if it had been made from wood or stone. Kaoru didn't give him a chance to study her creation for long though. As soon as he joined her, she set off across the river at an easy walk with his hand still firmly clasped in hers. Each time she placed her foot for the next step the water smoothed to a glass-like surface large enough for them to continue on. They had gotten about halfway across when Kenshin hazarded a cautious glance over his shoulder to see what was happening behind them and wasn't surprised to see the pathway they had already walked back to its original sluggishly moving state.

With a small shake of his head he turned his attention back to the steadily nearing bank and sneaked a peek at Kaoru out of the corner of his eye. She was… amazing. He never in his life thought he'd be walking on water.

A handful of steps later they stepped from the river and Kaoru immediately headed for the tree cover, pulling him along by the hand she still hadn't let go of. Once safely under the leaf-heavy limbs, she turned and gave him a wide smile. "That wasn't so bad was it, and Kanryuu can't track that so he'll never know where we went." Her eyes widened suddenly and her face paled. "Unless the person with him can. I forgot about that one…"

Kenshin shrugged and gave her a reassuring smile. "Even if they can, you were right this will be easier to navigate. It was a good idea."

Kaoru's cheeks quickly regained their color, and then some, at his praise and Kenshin found his hard-earned distance crumbling under those crystal clear blue eyes. The desires he'd managed to bury earlier started clawing their way back to the surface, but thankfully before he could give in and pull her into his arms like he wanted to she turned to the shadowed forest and asked, "So where to now?"

With effort Kenshin forced himself to reclaim his hand and tried to ignore the touch of sadness that crossed her face as he took a step back.

"Since we're on this side of the river, there's an old abandoned hut a few miles from here that we can hide in for tonight."

Kaoru dipped her head in understanding although the disheartened look still remained. Stomping down the part of him that wanted to make that look go away, Kenshin turned north leading them further into the forest at a quick walk. Now was not the time to be giving in to his irrational side. Not with Takeda and whoever he was working with hunting them again.

Behind him the soft snap and crunch of fallen twigs and leaves was his only indication that Kaoru was following, but it was enough and he picked up his pace a little. It would most likely take them the rest of the day to reach the hut Meguro-san and his wife had once lived in.

Now all he could do is hope that Takeda never found their trail.

* * *

The village of Jouden lay quiet except for the occasional sniffle or cough and Kanryuu sneered as he eyed the remaining inhabitants grouped before him with disdain. A small trail of smoke, carried on the lazy afternoon breeze like a banner, drifted through the space between he and the villagers and he let his attention wander to the smoldering ruin that had once been one of the handful of huts dotting this small mountain valley. Suzaku stood not far away with his arms crossed over his chest, his attention focused solely on the forest beyond as if he was searching or waiting for something.

A muffled cry came from one of the children in the group and Kanryuu shifted his attention back to the bedraggled residents and continued his interrogation.

"You can't hide them forever." He remarked coldly as his eyes drifted over each of them in turn. "If someone doesn't tell me where they are, I'll kill one of you at a time until one of you does."

Nothing but silence and angry glares met his threat and he took a step towards one of the women holding a sniveling child and reached for the brat. "Shall I start with the children then?"

"No!" The woman screamed clutching the brat to her chest. A chilling smile twisted Kanryuu's lips as he wrapped his hand around the child's frail arm.

"They went south, down the river!" A fierce eyed, heavyset woman suddenly exclaimed from behind the pair.

"Aiko!" A male voice shouted reproachfully, lending weight to the confession.

With an oily smile Kanryuu released the child. "See, that wasn't so hard."

The woman, Aiko, scowled blackly at him through the blood on her face but Kanryuu ignored it and walked to where Suzaku still stood completely motionless.

"They went south." He said as he came up beside the tall, white haired god.

Suzaku shifted an eye to him. "The woman lies," he stated calmly. "Her heartbeat is elevated."

A sharp inhalation of breath behind him proved Suzaku's words and Kanryuu flashed his teeth in anger as he spun around to go back and drag the truth out of the insolent wench, or kill her, whichever came first. But he'd only managed one step when Suzaku suddenly stiffened and swung his head to the north. "There. She has woven."

Then, without another word, the revived god took off into the forest. Kanryuu growled under his breath and with one last glare to the huddled villagers quickly followed in Suzaku's footsteps. To his relief the undergrowth was sparse allowing them easy passage and within minutes they broke out into a small open area with a single hut nestled against the trees on the far side. Suzaku paid it no mind and sped around the empty structure, continuing on along a path that had been hidden by the hut.

For half an hour Kanryuu followed as Suzaku tracked the unseen thread along various paths leading north until they finally came upon the sluggishly moving river the village woman must have been referring to earlier. The tiny animal track they'd been following faded into the thick underbrush choking a stand of trees hugging the river and they were forced to a slow walk.

They had only gone another handful of yards or so into the tangled mess when Suzaku suddenly shifted direction and cut to the river's edge. Surprised, Kanryuu stumbled after him, cursing as several broken limbs snagged at his exposed skin.

"She wove the spell here." Suzaku noted eying the water slowly rolling by inches away from his booted feet, then moved his attention out over the green hued expanse. "And continued across the water. They are on the other side."

Kanryuu stiffened and gave his companion an odd look. "They crossed?"

The grin Suzaku gave him made his blood run cold. "I told you there is much you do not know about her kind. Do not underestimate her or you will die."

Kanryuu scowled blackly at the warning and turned his attention to the far bank. There was no way a little apprentice mage could kill him now that he had his own power back. No matter what she could do. She was nothing but a flea biting at his heels and she would die as soon as she had served her purpose.

A moment later the crushing pressure he had come to associate with Suzaku's magic use flooded the area around them and Kanryuu grabbed onto a sapling and locked his knees to keep from being pushed to the ground by the incredible weight. A tiny finger of fear curled around his stomach as the pressure continued to increase to an almost unbearable level and he started to panic wondering if the god had forgotten he was there. The question became moot when a bone chilling roar of rage suddenly shredded the silence and the pressure immediately vanished leaving Kanryuu scrambling for balance before he went face first into the water.

"This body is _worthless_!"

Kanryuu cringed away from the savage growl and almost hoped he _had_ been forgotten. He had no idea what the irate god had attempted to do but he had come too far to die now.

However, much to his surprise Suzaku turned to him a moment later, completely composed, and calmly said, "We must find a way across the river quickly. I want to be on the other side by nightfall."

Caught flat footed, Kanryuu's mouth dropped open in surprise and he simply nodded but Suzaku had already turned away by then and began slicing a path through the heavy undergrowth, still aiming north. A quick glance to the sun showed the black mage they only had an hour or two left before dusk which wouldn't leave them much time, and they still had no idea what direction they went when they'd crossed.

Kanryuu frowned. At this rate they would lose what ground they had managed to gain. Unless the girl was careless enough to give them another thread to follow.

* * *

By the time Kenshin and Kaoru reached the abandoned hut, the sun had dipped completely out of sight; leaving behind nothing but burning hues of orange and red on the horizon to light the deepening dusk.

Exhausted from trying to walk as silently as Kenshin without using magic, Kaoru gratefully stumbled onto the dilapidated porch and sagged against a weatherworn wall with a sigh as her companion vanished inside to check to make sure the hut was stable enough to spend the night in. A steady breeze carrying the chill of oncoming night blew down the length of the porch making her shiver and she hugged her arms around herself in an effort to keep warm.

The faint tread of booted feet announced the redhead's return to the doorway and Kaoru glanced to him hopefully.

Kenshin smiled. "There is a hole in the roof against the back wall but other than that it looks sturdy enough. We should be safe in here tonight."

Kaoru sighed in relief and followed as Kenshin turned back inside and disappeared to the left. Stepping across the worn threshold of the door, she stopped long enough to let her eyes adjust to the shadowy interior then made her way to where Kenshin was brushing debris from a corner where two solid walls met. A single slatless window in the center of the opposite wall was the only other point of entry save for the shoji less door.

"Should I gather wood for a fire?" Kaoru asked glancing back to Kenshin. The fire pit in the center of the hut still looked intact and usable.

Kenshin shook his head. "I think it would be best if we went without one tonight. We don't know if we're being followed and if we are we don't want to give ourselves away."

Kaoru saw the wisdom of his words but that didn't stop her from shivering anyway as a small gust of wind snuck in the wide open door to tease the hem of her borrowed hakama. No fire was going to make for a cold night.

As if he had somehow read her thoughts, or more likely seen the shiver, Kenshin turned to the bag he'd brought and fished out a rolled bundle that was soon shaken out into a thin blanket big enough for two. Kaoru smiled gratefully when he handed it to her and he motioned for her to sit in the cleaned area.

Tossing the blanket over her shoulders, she settled against the wall with her shoulder tucked into the corner. "Do you think he's following us?" she asked as Kenshin bent over the bag again.

"I have no doubt." Kenshin murmured after a moment. Settling back on his heels he offered her a wrapped object that once unraveled revealed a battered rice ball. Kaoru's belly gurgled hungrily and she eagerly bit into the sticky mass.

"Takeda wants you and he will not stop until he has you." He continued as he settled in beside her and unwrapped his own.

Kaoru swallowed her first bite and sagged wearily against the wall. "If that's true, what are we suppose to do? We can't run forever."

Kenshin did the same and replied, "You won't have to. I'm taking you home."

Kaoru's hand stilled halfway to her mouth. Home? Did he mean the manor? The thought was enough to dampen her appetite and the hand holding the half eaten rice ball dropped into her lap. If he took her home, she would never see him again. He couldn't cross the shield and once inside she knew Tomoe-sama wouldn't let her back out until Takeda was dealt with. If that was even possible anymore!

"I don't want to go home." Kaoru suddenly heard herself say before she could stop herself. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kenshin's hand stop just short of his mouth.

"Why?" He asked softly as the rice ball settled into his lap untouched. "Behind the shield is the safest place for you."

Kaoru was immensely grateful for the heavy shadows obscuring their faces because she felt her cheeks heat up. Did she dare say it? It was obvious he didn't feel the same way about her. Even if she wanted to believe the soft smiles and gentle touches meant otherwise.

"Because you can't enter." She blurted out before she lost her nerve completely. Much to her dismay nothing but silence came in answer and she was starting to think she had gone too far when a soft sigh whispered into the space between them.

"It is true that I cannot cross the barrier," Kenshin murmured quietly. "But that doesn't mean you can't come out to see me when I visit you."

For a long moment Kaoru simply stared at the redhead in the growing gloom wondering if she'd heard him right. Did that mean…? She jumped when a warm hand found its way under the one resting in her lap and lifted the rice ball.

"Eat. We have a long road ahead of us."

Still a little off kilter, Kaoru did what he said without thinking and tried to quiet the part of her that was squealing in glee. Maybe she really wasn't the only one wanting to be more than just friends. Why would he bother to come visit her otherwise? Three bites later the rice ball was nothing but a memory and she felt exhaustion settle over her like a soft blanket pushing the thoughts from her mind. Hiding a yawn behind her hand she sagged even more against the wall and was surprised when Kenshin reached over and guided her to his shoulder.

"You sleep first. I will keep watch."

Warmed by the gesture, Kaoru swallowed another yawn and righted herself long enough to silently offer him the other half of the blanket which he took and pulled around his shoulders so they were wrapped together in it's cozy warmth. Once he had made himself comfortable again Kaoru reclaimed his shoulder before he could renege the offer and settled in to try to catch a little sleep.

A tiny smile touched her lips. She didn't know how much sleep she was going to be able to get like this but it didn't matter. She wouldn't exchange his shoulder for all the pillows in the world.

* * *

It was nearly two hours after dark when the first of Megumi's patients finally began to stir and she rose from where she'd been resting against the wall of the hut and settled down beside Tomoe, waiting for her friend to open her eyes.

A faint groan, barely audible above the singing higurashi, escaped the older woman's lips and then dark eyes fluttered open, squinting against the light of the lantern Hiko-san had suspended from the beam in the center of the room.

"Don't move just yet." Megumi advised gently holding her friend's shoulder down. "I was only able to start the healing on your ribs. They are still extremely fragile."

Tomoe frowned. "Where am I?" She murmured scratchily as she shifted slightly.

"You're in Hiko-san's hut in Jouden." Megumi replied keeping her hand firm on her friend's shoulder.

Recognition dawned in Tomoe's eyes before it was replaced with confusion. "Then, how are you here?"

Once she was sure Tomoe wouldn't ignore the warning Megumi released her and settled back with a sigh, "Sayo sent me to find you when she felt Shougo die. She was afraid all of you might have been killed or too injured to seek help."

Tomoe gasped softly and Megumi immediately regretted her thoughtlessness. She'd forgotten that Tomoe had been friends with the Muyo family their entire life. Shougo and Sayo were like siblings to her and now she had lost another brother. She should have broken that to her a little bit more gently.

"I'm sorry." Megumi murmured ashamed. But before she could say anything more Tomoe's eyes shot wide and she struggled to sit up. "Akira!"

Megumi cursed and held her down to keep her doing more damage. "He's alive," she said as she moved to the side enough to reveal her other patient still sleeping on the futon behind her. "He's lucky the Muyo family is linked like they are or he'd be dead this time. He's the reason I can't fully heal you yet."

The pain in Tomoe's chest was enough to clear the fog from her mind and she snapped her attention to her husband, drinking in his now healed features as if she hadn't seen him in ages. A single tear slipped from the corner of her eye and she sighed in relief before murmuring, "Thank you."

Megumi scoffed. "I really wish you two would quit doing things like this. I don't know how much more _I_ can take."

Tomoe gave her friend a crooked smile and gingerly touched her bandaged chest to assess the damage. To be honest she was surprised to be alive after the crushing blow Kanryuu had given her. "I can't guarantee that." She replied softly, wincing at the shot of pain her gentle inspection caused. "Things are worse than I had originally thought."

"What do you mean worse?" Megumi question with a sharp look.

Tomoe stifled a sigh and turned her attention to the shadowed roof. "Sayo was right, Kanryuu is trying to release Ryujin." A knot of fear tightened in her throat but she swallowed it down the best she could and forced out the rest of the truth. "There is a host."

Megumi gasped. "But that's impossible!"

"I thought so too," Tomoe said, glancing back to her friend with a weary smile. "But today I saw the impossible traveling with Kanryuu so I have no choice but to believe."

At Megumi's odd look she murmured, "Suzaku has been revived. He's the one who did that to Akira." She left out the part about him using Enishi's body, she didn't think she could give voice to that without breaking down.

Megumi jerked as if she'd been physically struck. With a groan Tomoe forced herself into a sitting position and grabbed the healer mage's arm to steady her. She looked like she was ready to be sick.

"I-i-impossible." The healer mage stammered weakly. She did however manage a reproachful look for Tomoe's seated position in her shock which didn't surprise the injured mage. Tomoe released her and tried to find a more comfortable position.

"I have no doubt he is who Takeda claims." Tomoe replied with a hollow smile. "And we don't even know who the host is. For all we know they could already have them."

If it was possible Megumi's face paled even more but before she could say anything the shoji leading outside slid open to reveal the owner of the hut and Hiko stepped in.

"So it was a god that did that to the village." The tall swordsman remarked as he slid the door closed and settled down in front of it. "I'm surprised it's still standing if that's the case."

Tomoe stiffened and immediately regretted the unconscious reaction when her injuries screamed in agony. Swallowing a cry of pain she shifted a little to relieve her damaged chest. "What happened to the village?" she asked once the pain had dulled some.

"It was attacked by Takeda and this god you mentioned, shortly after you arrived." Hiko replied in a deep no nonsense voice. "A couple of huts were destroyed, along with a handful of the paddies."

"There were also… casualties." Megumi added softly. "I wasn't in time for them."

A block of lead settled into the pit of Tomoe's stomach and she murmured, "Who?"

"Meguro-san and his wife." Hiko answered quickly enough but Tomoe heard the pause that followed and she waited for him to continue. When he didn't she pressed him further, now fearing the worst. "Who else Hiko-san?"

The master swordsman held her gaze but remained silent for a moment more and Tomoe found herself desperately praying that it wasn't Kenshin or Kaoru. She didn't think she could take hearing that.

"Fuyu-chan," Hiko finally said with a sigh. "She was stuck by lightning."

An anguished cry tore from Tomoe's throat but a tiny part of her was relieved not to hear him name one of the two she had feared most. Sniffling back the tears stinging her eyes, she murmured, "I'm sorry."

Hiko simply shook his head as if to say she didn't have anything to apologize for. "There is nothing to be done about it now."

Tomoe sagged tiredly and sighed. "No, there isn't."

"So what do we do now?" Megumi asked. Tomoe heard the tightness in her friend's voice and knew the healer mage was simply trying to steer the conversation away from what Tomoe was sure she saw as a failing on her part.

"I guess the next step we should take is to see if we can find the host." Tomoe replied, glancing to Hiko she asked, "Kenshin and Kaoru are safe?"

Hiko inclined his head, "I sent them north and he intends to turn back towards the manor when he deems it safe." The dark haired swordsman gave her a knowing smirk. "He will not let anything happen to that young woman. That I can promise you."

A small smile touched Tomoe's lips. "I know."

Beside her Megumi removed and rewet the cloth resting on Akira's forehead. "How are we going to find this host?"

"I don't know," Tomoe admitted softly. "It's going to be like finding a needle in a haystack. The only defining mark the host would have is a scar since Ryujin would have needed to implant a piece of himself into the person as a type of claim on the body." She exhaled tiredly and shook her head. "But the scar could be anywhere on the body, we would have to search every person alive to find the host, which is impossible."

It took Tomoe a moment to realize that Megumi had gone completely still at the explanation and she watched curiously as the healer mage glanced to Hiko. Glancing to the elder swordsman herself, Tomoe found him stone faced but his eyes held the look of a man who had figured something out he wished he hadn't.

Before she could question the look he asked, "Would the scar be discolored and scaly?"

Tomoe felt a fist of fear knot in her chest. "It could," she replied hesitantly, "Why?"

Megumi dropped the bowl of dirty water she'd been in the process of lifting and Tomoe snapped her attention to the startled mage as liquid sloshed over the side to soak into the edge of Akira's futon. The knot of fear turned into a rock when the healer mage finally turned saddened eyes on her.

"Because according to Hiko-san, Ken-san's scar has started turning scaly and blue."

Tomoe felt the floor fall out from beneath her and she swung her attention to Hiko for confirmation. The dark haired swordsman gave her the briefest of nods and Tomoe felt like she'd been punched in the gut.

No… that wasn't possible. She and Kenshin had been friends for _years_! There was no way he could be the host without her knowing it! None! As far as she knew he'd never even been close to the cursed wood hiding Ryujin's prison.

And then an image of the bleached bones she'd found there years ago floated through her mind and she swallowed thickly as her eyes found Hiko's again. "Where did you say you found Kenshin when he was a child?" She murmured weakly, half afraid of the answer yet already knowing what it would be.

"At a farm about twenty miles north of Toyama."

The confirmation was like a knife to the heart and Tomoe sagged numbly. Now she understood why Kenshin couldn't cross the shield protecting her home. For a reason she had never understood her ancestor had taken great pains to assure that the shield could never be penetrated by a god should any ever be resurrected. Somehow she must have known Ryujin wouldn't sit idly by while the world continued to turn without him.

But why did he have to choose Kenshin.

Tomoe exhaled heavily and winced as her ribs protested the abuse. The why of it really didn't matter. What did was the fact that he and Kaoru were together, which was dangerous for more reasons than she wanted to think about.

"You said they were going north?" She inquired.

Hiko nodded. "But I don't know how far they will go before they turn back."

"Is there any way you can track them?" Megumi asked.

Tomoe shook her head. "Not without Akira. The spell on Kaoru's eyes has been broken and she lost the pendant I gave her." She smiled ruefully, "And I've never been able to track Kenshin. Only Besshi can find him when I need him."

"They have the pendant you gave me." Hiko said as soon as she'd finished.

Tomoe swung widened eyes to him, a glimmer of hope flickering. "They do? If they have that then I can find them. The sooner I get her away from him the better."

Hiko stiffened minutely and Tomoe immediately wished she hadn't said that last sentence.

"Why do they need to be separated?" He demanded as his face hardened.

Tomoe met his hard look with as calm a one as she could muster. "Because we have to stop what has already started to grow between them or she won't be able to do what she has to do."

"And what is it she has to do, Tomoe?" Megumi pressed tightly. She looked nearly as angry as Hiko.

Tomoe smiled sadly at her friend before she glanced back to Hiko and said, "To keep Ryujin from being unleashed on the world again… Kaoru will have to kill Kenshin. It's most likely the very reason she was born."

* * *

And the cruel twist of fate rears it's ugly head. Thanks for reading! :D


	15. Chasing Shadows

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 15 - Chasing Shadows

The following morning dawned grey, the weak light doing little to illuminate the small, dilapidated hut. Sitting in the shadows against the wall, Kaoru stifled a yawn behind her hand and glanced to Kenshin where he slept propped up in the corner of the room with his sheathed katana resting against his shoulder. He had asked her to wake him as soon as the sun rose but she couldn't bring herself to disturb him. It had been, at most, two hours since he'd awoken her to stand watch while he took his turn sleeping. Two hours. Who could run on only two hours of sleep?

She clenched her teeth against another yawn and turned her attention to the small pack Kenshin had brought. She'd give him a few more minutes while she searched for something for breakfast. Maybe there was some of those rice balls left. Her belly grumbled at the thought and she frowned when a quick search yielded nothing. Without thinking she upended the bag and nearly yelped in surprise as her wakizashi clattered loudly to the floor. The rest of the contents immediately followed and several more items hidden in their spare clothes clinked to the floor, scattering in every direction.

Kaoru winced at the noise and was just about to glance at Kenshin to see if she'd woken him when she felt icy cold steel suddenly press tight against the side of her neck. A faint gasp of pain escaped her throat as the blade bit into her skin and she froze, afraid to so much as breathe. What the..?

A heartbeat later a hiss whispered into the quiet and the blade immediately moved away.

"I'm sorry." Kenshin murmured from behind her.

The soft rasping of the katana being sheathed soon followed but Kaoru barely heard it over the thundering of her heart. Pressing a hand to the cut she scowled blackly. He was… _sorry?_!

With an inaudible growl she rounded on him ready to give him a tongue lashing he'd never forget but the words died in her throat when she saw the look of shame and horror darkening his eyes. He looked like he had just killed his best friend.

Anger forgotten Kaoru reached out with her bloodied hand. "It's okay. It's not serious."

Kenshin simply stared at her for a long moment before he shifted his eyes to her red smudged palm. He moved forward and used his sleeve to wipe the blood away. "Do not forgive me so easily. I could have killed you."

Kaoru snorted as Kenshin released her hand and reached around her to gather something from the bag's contents. "Do you think I'm that defenseless?" she asked raising her cleaned hand that now glowed slightly with a touch of electricity.

Looking unimpressed Kenshin simply shook his head and sat back with a small roll of white cloth. "No, but you would have been dead before you could summon that."

Kaoru scowled at him but before she could reply he leaned forward with a length of cloth between his hands and Kaoru instinctively leaned back away from him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to wrap the wound. It's the least I can do." Kenshin replied as he guided the length behind her head and started to gently wrap the soft cloth around her neck, covering the still bleeding cut.

Kaoru suddenly found it very hard to breathe as Kenshin's actions brought him in close enough for her to smell the faint hint of sandalwood still clinging to his skin. With effort she forced her attention over his shoulder but found it drawn back against her will. He was so close. Close enough that she could feel his warm breath on her cheek. Close enough that all she had to do was turn her head a little and lean forward to press her lips against his. Her cheeks flushed at the thought and she forced her attention to the wall again. Entertaining those thoughts could be dangerous, especially when he was this close.

However it only took a moment or two for her attention to drift back to the red head and she was surprised to find him even closer than he had been before. All she had to do now was turn her head and she'd catch the corner of his mouth.

And much to her horror that's exactly what her traitorous body did.

It happened so fast that she didn't even realize what she was doing until she felt his warm flesh beneath her lips. Kenshin froze at the touch and Kaoru felt her cheeks flame to life as she threw herself back. She didn't get very far though because Kenshin caught her head and she found herself suddenly pinned to the spot by a probing, butterfly inducing look she couldn't quite name. Kaoru swallowed thickly in an attempt to wet her suddenly dry mouth. Maybe she should say she was sorry. She hadn't really meant to do it, not like that!

But the decision was taken out of her hands a moment later when Kenshin leaned forward and captured her lips in a soft kiss.

Kaoru gasped softly as warmth flooded her body and she stiffened, too stunned to do anything but stare at the red hair filling her vision. The kiss only lasted a heartbeat or two and before she could even think of responding Kenshin pulled back and released her.

"We should go." He murmured as he turned back to the items strewn across the floor.

Kaoru's mouth dropped open in surprise and she stared at him in silence as he started repacking the bag. Did she just dream that? She pinched herself to see if she was sleeping and winced at the pain. "What -"

She was cut off when Kenshin handed her the sheathed wakizashi, "You may need this."

Mouth still slightly agape Kaoru accepted the blade numbly and Kenshin returned to what he was doing without another word. Now more irritated than surprised Kaoru grabbed his ponytail and gave it a healthy yank to get his attention.

"What just happened?" She asked when he gave her a startled look.

Kenshin smiled. "I kissed you," he replied turning back to the fallen items.

Kaoru yanked his hair again. "Why?"

Kenshin placed the last item in the bag then turned to her and gently extricated his ponytail from her hand. "Because I wanted to." With a smile he rose and tossed the refilled bag over his shoulder. "We really should go before someone finds us."

The gentle reminder of the gravity of their situation was enough to douse the warm feeling his words had created. That wasn't a good enough answer and he knew it but he was right, they really needed to get back on the road. With a sigh she let it drop and rose to follow as Kenshin collected his katana and silently made his way to the wide open door. The redhead paused in the shadows at the edge of the opening and peered out, checking the yard beyond. Kaoru pressed her back to the wall beside him and let her eyes drift over the room to see if they'd forgotten anything. As far as she could tell the heavily shadowed room was empty save for the scuff marks they had left in the dirt. She frowned. If anyone saw those they'd know someone had been here.

Without thinking she called a small tendril of air and gently swept the tracks away. There. Now no one would know.

A moment later Kenshin turned to her. "It's safe."

Kaoru dipped her head in understanding and stepping out into the grey morning behind him to head for the woods close by. Once inside the thick canopy of tree limbs he murmured, "We will head south now. The sooner we reach the manor the better."

Kaoru's heart sank but she nodded anyway and reluctantly followed as he led the way further into the trees. She really didn't want to go home, especially not now.

* * *

Several miles north of the abandoned hut Kanryuu and Suzaku made their way south as the sun continued to rise behind the thick blanket of clouds. It had taken them over half the night to find a ford shallow enough for the two of them to cross which had put Suzaku in a black mood. Worse actually.

Kanryuu, sensing the god's volatile temper, wisely kept his distance on the small overgrown track they were following. But the worst part of it all was that they had lost the girl. She had not used magic again since the river which meant they had to wait until they found their crossing point before they could start tracking again. A faint scowl touched his lips. If only she would use just a small amount. Then they would have her.

Kanryuu found himself pulled from his thoughts when Suzaku suddenly stopped and stiffened. A sudden surge of hope flared to life in his chest. Did she…?

"They are ahead of us." Suzaku stated triumphantly.

Kanryuu smiled. "Is she still holding?"

Suzaku slid an eye to him and with a malicious grin murmured, "No, but she has left an imprint that is closer to us than the river. We will reach the mark and track them from there."

Kanryuu grinned himself but said nothing as Suzaku started down the track again at a quicker pace. Finally, it was all coming together.

* * *

Just outside the village of Jouden, Tomoe sat obediently beside a still sleeping Akira while Megumi worked to heal her broken ribs. The grey clouds outside seemed to rest on the tall trees surrounding Hiko's hut, as if they would push them into the ground, mirroring Tomoe's mood. She had been restless the entire night. What little bit of sleep she'd managed to get had been filled with nightmares. Horrors she knew could and would happen should Kanryuu and his pet god succeed.

"There," Megumi stated with a smile as she settled back. "Done!"

Tomoe gingerly hugged herself and sighed in relief at the absence of pain in her chest. It had taken Megumi all night to regain enough strength to heal her ribs. Time she had been unhappy to lose but knew had been necessary.

"Thank you." Tomoe murmured sincerely as she rose.

Megumi waved a hand at her. "No thanks are needed just go find Kaoru before Takeda does." Megumi's shoulders drooped slightly and she smiled sadly, "She's going to be crushed isn't she?"

Tomoe exhaled tiredly as she righted her under kimono. "Yes, I think she will be, but there is nothing to be done now. It's too late." They both knew Kaoru well enough to know she couldn't have been with Kenshin this long without feeling something towards him. Tomoe had known that when she'd set them together and had even hoped for what she now feared.

"It will be all right." Megumi said soothingly. "If she can't do it one of us will."

Tomoe shook her head. "We can't. It has to be Kaoru, she is the only one who can kill the piece of Ryujin Kenshin is carrying. The host will not die unless that is destroyed and she is the only one who can wield all the elements. It will take a spell that uses them all to do what needs to be done."

The stricken look that passed over Megumi's face mirrored Tomoe's heart but she refused to let it show. She couldn't worry about what the deed would do to Kaoru, it had to be done no matter the consequences. Ryujin could not be released!

"I should go." She murmured into the quiet that had fallen. "We don't even know if Takeda has found them yet."

Megumi smiled half-heartedly. "Then go. I'll wait for Akira to wake, then we will follow."

Tomoe dipped her head and with one last look to her husband slid the door back and stepped out into the grey morning. Hiko sat on the porch to her left, with his blade resting across his knees.

"Do not kill him yet." The master swordsman demanded without looking at her. "He deserves to have family witness his death. I will come when you decide to move against him."

Tomoe smiled hollowly, "I will let you know."

A simple nod was her only answer. Tomoe stepped from the porch and turned her attention to searching for the pendant Kenshin and Kaoru carried with them. It didn't take her long to feel the weakened pulse of the silver wings somewhere off to the north. Pinpointing its exact position Tomoe summoned the necessary amount of energy and silently activated the teleporting spell, aiming for a landing a quarter of a mile east of the location.

The familiar sickness that accompanied the shift tightened her stomach for a brief moment before the world turned itself inside out. A heartbeat later she landed in a small clearing surrounded by trees and immediately called fire to her hands. A quick search of the glade showed she was alone save for a chittering squirrel and she relaxed as she headed into the trees, aiming west. The pendant still pulsed where she had first sensed it.

It wasn't until she had gone several yards into the woods that she realized that the pendant wasn't moving like it should be. Kenshin would have been on the road by first light or an hour after at the latest. Even with no sun to gauge the time Tomoe knew it was at least an hour if not two past _that_. Kenshin wouldn't have remained here knowing Kanryuu was tracking them. Unless he had no choice.

A tiny knot of fear curled in her stomach and she pick up her pace. A quarter of an hour later she found another clearing, larger than the one she had landed in, with a rundown hut sitting in the middle of the swaying grass. Stopping at the very edge of the trees Tomoe eyed the seemingly empty building. There was no doubt about it, the pendant was inside that hut.

The knot in her belly turned into a fist and Tomoe hurried through the knee high grass. On silent feet she cautiously stepped up onto the porch and pressed her back to the wall beside the door to listen. There was nothing to hear except the soft creaking of branches in the cool morning breeze. Calling a rather nasty spell to her fingertips, she took a deep breath and rushed into the room only to stop cold just over the threshold to stare at the obviously empty hut. A weak laugh burned the back of her throat but she choked it back as she took in the seemingly untouched room. Dirt and leaves littered the floor, most likely carried in from the shoji less door and the rather large hole in the roof at the back of the hut. Tomoe took another cautious step into the room allowing more light to filter in behind her and she noticed what very few would have, the faint streaks running horizontal in a large patch of dirt to her left. Most likely caused by an apprentice mage wielding air like a broom.

Tomoe smiled. Kaoru had tried to cover their tracks. A good attempt but not good enough for one trained by Akira. Another handful of steps led her across the room to the only shadowed corner left in the brightening day and there she found what she was searching for, hidden beneath a couple of fallen leaves.

With a sigh she picked up the pendant and rubbed it free of dirt. Her only way of tracking them had been left behind. Why? And then it dawned on her, did they already know? She immediately shook her head. No, there is no way they could, it must have been an accident. Kenshin must have carried it in case she could still track through it, he wouldn't leave it behind intentionally.

Exhaling softly, she secured the pendant in the tie of her hakama and, with one last glance around the room to make sure it was empty, stepped back out into the gloomy morning searching for clues to where they'd gone. Akira had taught her much over the years and it didn't take her long to find the nearly invisible trail leading across the knee high grass to the edge of the woods south of the hut.

Tomoe smiled and quickly made her way to the edge of the trees. Knowing Kenshin she would lose them within the woods eventually but she had a feeling she knew where they were heading now. To the small ford about five miles south of the village that would put them back on the correct side of the river to reach the manor.

Once she lost the trail completely she would jump to the ford and wait. And hope she wasn't wrong.

* * *

Less than a half an hour later Kanryuu stood not far from the trail Tomoe had followed and eyed the dilapidated hut with distaste while his companion entered the shadowed interior.

According to Suzaku the girl had used air around here somewhere. Not for the first time he wished he was a tracker. Relying on his companion gave him a bad taste in his mouth but he had no choice. Even the bit of alchemy Suzaku had schooled him in, above and beyond what he'd learned on the continent, still didn't reveal that one secret. Unless Suzaku had intentionally left him in the dark. Kanryuu scowled at the darkened doorway. He wouldn't put it past the god to do just that.

As if the thought of him called him forth Suzaku exited the hut.

"They were here." He stated as he strode off the porch. "There are also tracks I do not believe belonged to them as the residue from her spell was below the tracks."

Kanryuu frowned. "Who else would be looking for them?"

Suzaku turned his attention to the woods. "The Yukishiro mage was not dead when she vanished."

Kanryuu snorted. "She's dead. Not even she could survive a jump in the shape she was in."

His companion remained quiet but Kanryuu had the feeling he didn't believe. The silence stretched for a few more moments and then without a word Suzaku started for the treeline directly across the glade. "They are all heading south."

Kanryuu cursed under his breath in surprise and hurried after him. He nearly crashed into Suzaku's back when the god suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. "One has shifted further south."

Another curse hissed between Kanryuu's clenched teeth but before he could say any more Suzaku murmured, "It is not the mahou tsuki."

Relieved, Kanryuu followed Suzaku into the trees. It wouldn't be too long now.

* * *

The morning passed quickly for the pair heading south, but by the time the sun had climbed to just shy of its apex Kaoru could quite honestly say she was tired of walking. They had kept a fairly slow pace but had remained hidden in the woods, following animal trails when they could. With longing Kaoru eyed the rather large path they were traveling parallel to, they had reached it about an hour ago but Kenshin believed they would be too exposed and kept them to the woods instead.

However, path or no, she was still tired of walking. She was tempted to try teleporting again but she honestly had no idea how she'd done it the first time, and who knew what would happen if she screwed up. Not to mention the amount of power she'd have to use. She still felt a little shaky about using the small amount she did this morning. She'd forgotten they were being tracked. She still had no idea if the person traveling with Kanryuu could track magic like some mages. She desperately hoped he or she couldn't track like she herself did or there would be no hiding from them. Her own ability identified the aura each mage is born with which was impossible to hide. As she had proven this morning when she'd pinpointed Kanryuu some miles north of them shortly after they'd left the hut. She couldn't tell which side of the river he was on though.

Kenshin stopping in front of her pulled Kaoru from her thoughts and she eyed the redhead questioningly as he turned to her. Against her will her cheeks heated when their eyes met but she held his gaze anyway. She still hadn't managed to get over the kiss this morning, he hadn't said another word about it and she was half afraid to ask and find out he really didn't mean it.

"It looks like we'll have to use the road briefly."

Kaoru's brow creased, "Why?"

Kenshin gave her an odd look and with a smile he stepped out of her line of sight and she saw the woods suddenly drop off behind him.

"Oh." She muttered sheepishly. She'd been so lost in her thoughts she hadn't noticed.

Kenshin's smile widened slightly and he took her hand and led her from the safety of the trees. As soon as she stepped from the cover of the woods Kaoru immediately felt exposed and the spot between her shoulder blades started to itch as if someone was watching her. She knew it wasn't possible but that didn't stop her from sneaking a peek over her shoulder anyway to see if anyone was there. The path behind them stood empty all the way back to where it curved to the right, disappearing from view.

A small chuckle spilled from her lips, Tomoe had always said she had a healthy imagination.

Once they reached the path Kenshin let her hand go and Kaoru did her best to ignore the twinge of disappointment that swam through her chest as she fell in beside him. For several minutes they walked in silence, following the path that now hugged the edge of the ravine as it arced away from the forest. Ahead of them, maybe a quarter of a mile away Kaoru could see a small rickety looking bridge spanning the expanse.

"How far away are we from where we are heading?"

Kenshin eyed the landscape for a moment then said, "We've passed the village but we still have a couple of more miles to go."

Kaoru grimaced, more walking. Her feet were going to fall off when they stopped for a break.

It wasn't long before they reached the bridge. Kaoru slowed when they came to the edge but Kenshin didn't notice and he started across the weathered planks with far more confidence than she thought he should have. She winced when they creaked warningly beneath his weight and opted to stay on this side until he was all the way across. She knew she was probably overreacting because the path and the bridge were large enough for a wagon. But still… that was a deep ravine.

A handful of steps later Kenshin reached the other side and she almost smiled at the surprised look he gave her when he noticed she hadn't followed him across. But the look of surprise quickly vanished and his eyes flew wide in horror at the exact same moment Kaoru heard the faint snapping of a twig from right behind her.

Spinning on her heel, she had just enough time to dodge the fire engulfed fist aiming for her back and she stumbled back a step to tumble to the ground. Before she could even draw breath to curse or summon her own magic a rustled of cloth whispered past her and Kenshin landed in front of her, his katana unsheathed and poised in front of him.

The dark haired mage fell back a couple of steps but the grin he gave Kaoru was enough to make her blood run cold. "I wonder if Takeda is still looking for you little Ancient."

Kaoru scowled as she rose. "I'm not - "

She stopped when she noticed that Kenshin had stiffened. Did he really believe that? The question was quickly forgotten though when Kaoru felt the mage call forth a distinct amount of pure energy and begin to shape it. It was then that it finally dawned on her what it was she had felt back in the forest three days ago when they'd been battling the mages. It was a signal to let another mage know the enemy had been found. Oh gods, he was going to call Kanryuu!

"Kenshin stop him!"

The mage laughed as the words left her mouth and just as Kenshin vanished from in front of her, Kaoru felt the concussion as the energy he'd gathered slammed into the very air itself and exploded out in all directions, the force of it enough to blow her hair back from her face.

In the next instant Kenshin was standing toe to toe with the mage, his blade held flush against the grinning man's neck ready for the killing blow.

"You're too late mage killer." The dark haired rogue all but purred, pressing his flesh into the blade as he spoke. "He's coming."

Kaoru swallowed thickly as her stomach knotted in fear and she rushed over to Kenshin. "He's right, we have to go!"

With a hiss of rage Kenshin shoved the mage off his blade and grabbed her hand, his feet already moving them towards the bridge. They'd only manage to take two steps though when the weathered boards suddenly burst into flame. Kaoru threw up her arm to protect her face as Kenshin tugged her back from the raging inferno. The heat was so intense that it nearly stole the breath from her throat.

Stumbling back even further she cringed at the chuckle that came from behind them. "You're not going anywhere. Takeda promised immeasurable power to whoever could catch you and I intend to claim that prize."

Kaoru ignored the sickening dread curling in her stomach and she spun around at the same time Kenshin did. A moment later their hands met and she was just about ready to make a break for the forest again when the space between them and possible freedom suddenly shimmered and coalesced into Kanryuu and the red eyed, white haired man she'd met in the forest what seemed like forever ago.

Kenshin's grip became almost painful as the black mage became solid and turned an oily grin their way.

"I told you once you couldn't get away from me, Ancient-san. Now do you believe me?"

Kaoru's blood turned to ice in her veins and she immediately tapped into the wellspring of earth magic beneath her feet. She wasn't going down without a fight.

"She's a spirited one," The white haired man remarked and Kaoru gasped as his deep, sonorous voice slid along every nerve in her body. She didn't remember him sounding so… strange last time, like he was larger than the earth.

"She holds earth. Be on your guard."

Kanryuu scowled as if angered by the warning and slid a glare at his companion but before anything more could be said Kaoru felt a familiar signature warp the space behind her and she turned just in time to see Tomoe become solid. Kaoru's eyed flew wide. What?

She had no time to question it though because as soon as her mentor took in the scene before her she launched a fireball the size of her head at Kanryuu and his companion. At that moment instinct took over and Kaoru lifted her foot and slammed it back down sending a shock wave at the two distracted men at the same time. But all they got for their effort was a chuckle from Kanryuu and a chest rumbling roar of triumph as his companion simply absorbed the fireball without so much as a singed hair.

And yet, neither one saw the streak of red that shot towards them while they were focused on the magical attack. All of a sudden Kanryuu cried out in pain and clutched his bleeding chest only to stumble forward in the next instant as if he'd taken a strike to the back too.

A moment later Kenshin was back where he'd started from, in front of her again. "That was only a taste of what I can do." He warned the two mages calmly. "I will not let you take her from me so easily."

A faint groan of dismay reached Kaoru's ears from behind her but she had no time to wonder about it because the mage beside Kanryuu suddenly laughed. The sound of it made Kaoru's breath catch in her throat.

"You will be the perfect vessel for my brother." The strange, red eyed mage intoned. And then she suddenly felt an incredible pressure push against her body and Kenshin fell to his knees with a scream of pain that soon changed to a soul shaking roar that made the small hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

Terrified, Kaoru went to reach for him but was wrenched back before she could even get close.

"Picture the manor's courtyard!" Tomoe demanded into her ear. Confused, Kaoru yelled no and tried to shake off the hand holding her in place so she could help Kenshin but the hand tightened to the point of pain and Kaoru spun on her ready to fight her way free if she had to. Why was Tomoe doing this! Kenshin needed help!

But the look in her mentor's eyes and wetness on her cheek stopped Kaoru cold. "Picture the manor's courtyard." Tomoe repeated softly.

Kaoru shook her head. "No! Kenshin needs us!" The roar had died down but Kaoru could still hear groans of pain coming from him. She couldn't just leave him like this. She loved him damn it!

The look on Tomoe's face saddened even more and she shook her head. "We can't help him anymore. It's too late."

Kaoru snarled angrily and wrenched her arm as hard as she could as she spun around. Only to stop dead when her eyes lit on the man she was trying to help. Kenshin now stood facing her with Kanryuu and the other mage grinning at his back. His left cheek, where his scar had been, was now a bloody mess as if the old wound had burst open again. But that was not the cause of her sudden capitulation. It was his eyes. They had gone from the soft violet she had come to love to a fierce golden hue, the pupil switching back and forth between being rounded to being slit like a reptile's.

"Picture the manor's courtyard." Tomoe murmured softly into her ear again. So transfixed on the shifting eyes watching her with a strange mixture of love and hate, Kaoru barely heard her or felt the small pressure inside her head that came with the words until, against her will, an image of the dusty yard in front of the gate flitted through her mind and she felt power well up inside her of its own free will. Nausea twisted her stomach and she finally realized what was happening.

"_No!" _She screamed as she tried to wrench herself away. But it was too late. The world suddenly turned itself inside out and she lost sight of Kenshin and the others only to have another image soon fill her eyes as she and Tomoe stumbled to their knees before a gate she knew far too well. Sick to her stomach, Kaoru stared horrified at the intricately carved, weathered wood as the hand that had been holding her fell away.

She was home. The very last place in the world she wanted to be.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Oh and here's a kissing scene outtake:

_Now more irritated than surprised Kaoru grabbed his ponytail and gave it a healthy yank to get his attention. _

"_What just happened?" She asked when he gave her a startled look. _

_Kenshin smiled. "I kissed you," he replied turning back to the fallen items._

_Kaoru yanked his hair again. "Why?"_

_Kenshin turned back to her with a smirk, "Because you missed."_

Sorry, couldn't help it... XD


	16. Facing the Truth

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a great holiday! Please forgive me if I didn't reply to your review for the last chapter. This time of year is very hectic for me and was doubly so this year thanks to my job. Again, I'm sorry.

Chapter 16 - Facing the Truth

The grey sky that had been threatening all morning finally opened up shortly after midday but Kenshin barely felt the steady rain soaking him from head to toe as he trudged behind Takeda and his white haired accomplice. His head and scar were throbbing so badly that he could barely see straight, narrowing his world to the path beneath his feet.

And to the entity he could feel pressing against his consciousness, trying to push him out.

A sudden sharp pain made him wince and he rubbed his aching brow in a futile attempt to soothe it away. Somehow, there was… something… inside of him. At least a part of it. It was that part that had him following the two mages against his will no matter how hard he fought against it. He had tried several times to go his own way but every time he tried, the _thing _vying for dominance always forced him back on the path leading south.

South. Towards the manor. The one place he didn't want to go now. He had no doubt that's where Tomoe had taken Kaoru and whatever was inside him hated Kaoru beyond reasoning, yet it also had a driving need to possess her. As if it's very life depended on it.

The pain in his cheek suddenly intensified and Kenshin groaned as white hot fire lanced through the left side of his face again. Stumbling to a stop he clutched his head as images of Kaoru lying mutilated and dying ruthlessly flashed through his mind. Images so lifelike that he could almost smell the blood. Fighting down the sudden surge of panic the vision caused, he pushed back against the entity with all of his might, gritting his teeth with the strain. A vicious roar of rage tore through his mind as he dug his fingers into his skull in an effort to keep himself grounded. He couldn't lose. He _wouldn't_ lose! The creature had no hold unless _he_ let it happen and he would die before he'd give in to whatever was inside him.

In the next instant the entity went back to being an aching pain in his cheek and Kenshin sighed in relief as he crumbled to his knees. His vision threatened with grey edges as his head spun. That had been the worst attack yet.

".. going to make it…"

"… die so easily…."

Snippets of conversation made it past the incessant throbbing in his head and then a hand grabbed his upper arm and hauled him to his feet.

"This would end much faster for you if you'd let him jump you to the Yukishiro manor."

Kenshin managed to summon enough energy to glare at the black mage sneering in his face. That was the reason behind the attacks. The creature inside him was trying to force itself in far enough to teleport them both, but so far Kenshin had held it off. And he would continue to until the moment he died. He would give Tomoe and Kaoru as much time as he could to figure what was happening and how to overcome it.

An angry growl tore from Kanryuu's throat and he shoved him back. Kenshin fought to keep his balance and nailed the two with a hate filled glare as he stated flatly. "I have no intention of making this easy for you."

The white haired mage simply smiled. "Easy or no the outcome will remain the same. My brother will have your body."

The cold rain trickling down Kenshin's back made him shiver but he ignored it and met the creature's smile with one of his own as his eyes dropped to where his katana rested at the mage's hip. "Not if I'm dead."

And before the creature could fully comprehend what was said Kenshin shot forward with speed only he could summon and grabbed for the hilt. But what he hadn't anticipated was the strange man's own speed. With fluid, almost godlike motion the mage stepped out of his reach a moment before Kenshin's hand touched the hilt, and then he felt an elbow slam into his back between his shoulder blades. He cried out in agony as his body went limp and he crumbled face first into the mud the path had disintegrated into. A moment later a hand fisted in his hair and hauled his head up.

"I have no intention of letting you die." The mage growled before he all but shoved his face back into the mud. "Accept it."

On weak arms Kenshin pushed himself up until he was standing again and wiped mud from his face with a clean part of his sleeve. "Your intentions mean nothing to me. If you continue to hunt Kaoru like this I will not make it easy for you."

The white haired mage simply stared at him for a long moment before a small smile slowly slid across his bloodless lips. "You love the little Ancient."

Kenshin stiffened.

The creature suddenly laughed in that strange sonorous voice and Kenshin felt true fear slide through his veins. If they knew…

"This will be more fun than I expected." The mage noted with a wide, chilling smile. "At least the two of you will die together."

Then without another word the creature turned and started down the path that would eventually lead them to Kaoru. A fist of lead settled into Kenshin's gut as he watched him go. Die together? What did that mean?

* * *

The steady drum of rain against the two large windows overlooking the manor grounds was the only sound in Tomoe's otherwise silent study. Yet Kaoru barely heard it as she angrily paced the polished wood floor waiting for some news that Tomoe had finally awakened. The adept mage had passed out as soon as they'd reached the manor courtyard, from the strain of forcing Kaoru's ability was what Sayo had said. A part of Kaoru was happy that Tomoe had paid a price for what she'd done but the other, larger part still wanted to know exactly _why_ she'd done it and was tired of waiting.

"Kaoru, you're going to wear a path in the floor if you don't stop!" Misao grouched from where she sat beside Aoshi on one of the enlarged window sills.

Kaoru nailed her with a glare as she turned to make another pass. "I'll stop when she tells me why she dragged me here!"

Misao winced at the sharp retort but Kaoru barely noticed it thanks to the odd, unwavering stare Aoshi still had fixed on her. With a scowl she tore her attention away from the pair and continued pacing. She'd had to endure that look for the better part of an hour so far. She had no idea what he seemed so interested in and he had yet to say. But what was even stranger was that he had never acted like this before in her presence. Even in Kiyosu he hadn't look at her like that.

"Kamiya-san?"

Kaoru froze and glanced at the icy-eyed man. Here it comes…

"Have you always had blue eyes?"

Kaoru tensed even more. Oh gods, she'd completely forgotten about her eyes! But… why would Shinomori-san care about that? He wasn't even a mage! At a loss she hurriedly tried to think of an answer that wouldn't give too much away when a familiar yet chilly voice answered for her instead.

"Yes Shinomori-san, she is the one you are looking for."

Startled, Kaoru whirled around to face Tomoe who now stood in the door of her study. Although still looking sickly, she stared at the swordsman with a hard look in her deep brown eyes that said she was more than ready to deal with him if she had to. Kaoru watched in confusion as Tomoe stepped into the study and made her way around the desk situated in front of the second large window.

"However," She continued as she took a seat with her back to the rainy sky. "I will not allow you to take this information to the shogun. We have enough to deal with without the regents attempting to kidnap her for their own gain."

Kaoru nearly took a step back when Tomoe leaned forward, her icy eyes still firmly fixed on Aoshi. "If you do not agree to keep this to yourself Shinomori-san, I will hold you here until you do."

An angry hiss came from Misao at the undisguised threat and out of the corner of her eye Kaoru saw Aoshi go rigid. But after the briefest of moments the dark haired swordsman glanced to her then gave Tomoe a small nod of agreement. "I will say nothing of this."

Tomoe visibly relaxed and Kaoru felt herself doing the same as her mentor turned her attention to Misao. "The girls have just woken from their nap. Would you and Aoshi-san please go help Hitomi look after them."

Misao's eyes widened. "But-" she started.

Tomoe shook her head. "There are some things I need to speak to Kaoru about in private."

Misao scowled. "But-"

Aoshi grasped Misao's arm and started guiding her to the door. "Yukishiro-san has asked for privacy, Misao."

Kaoru could only imagine the glare Misao nailed him with because in the next moment he had led her from the study and closed the door firmly behind them. Once the door had closed Kaoru found her aggravation stirring in her chest again and she rounded on Tomoe.

"All right, Tomoe-sama. What's going on? Why did you drag me away from Kenshin like that?"

With a soft sigh, Tomoe sagged tiredly into the high backed chair. "Sit down, Kaoru, and I promise I will explain everything."

Kaoru frowned and crossed her arms in defiance. "Just tell me why you did this."

Tomoe remained silent but Kaoru met her stare for stare. She was in no mood to bow to anyone's wished, least of all her mentor's. Kenshin could be hurt or even dead and she'd never know it. It was bad enough that they'd left him in Kanryuu's hands to begin with!

The thick silence stretched for several tense moments more before Tomoe sighed and rose. Kaoru watched warily as she walked around the desk and pulled the high backed chair that had been sitting in front of her small bookcase over to Kaoru. Without a word she moved to the other side of the room and pulled another chair over in front of the first one and took a seat so they would be facing each other with no desk between them.

"Please sit down, Kaoru."

Kaoru scowled and dropped onto the edge of the chair. "Now tell me what is going on, Tomoe-sama."

Tomoe seemed to sag into herself and the distressed look that crossed her face for a brief moment tugged at Kaoru's heart but she held firm against the feeling.

"How much has Kenshin told you about your eyes and what they mean?"

Kaoru shrugged, "He said something about me being of some different race of people that no longer exists. An Ancient or something, but I don't belie-"

"He's right." Tomoe cut in quietly.

Kaoru froze and simply stared at her teacher as if she'd lost her mind.

A faint smile touched Tomoe's lips but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You are a descendant of a race of people that lived on this land over a thousand years ago. We have no idea how you came to be here since you are the first of your kind in all that time but there is no mistaking your heritage."

"Because of my eyes." Kaoru finished for her as she settle more comfortably in the chair.

Tomoe nodded. "Yes. There have been no girls born with your blue eyes since the Ancients vanished shortly after dealing with the gods."

Kaoru warily rubbed her forehead and frowned, "So he said, but what does this have to do with why you forced me to leave him and come here? I still don't see any reason we had to leave him with Kanryuu!"

Tomoe watched her in silence for a moment as if she was weighing something and then she finally replied. "We had to leave him because he is our enemy now just as much as Kanryuu and the creature traveling with him."

That caught Kaoru completely off guard and she sat bolt upright and simply stared at Tomoe in horrified confusion until the anger that had been simmering all along suddenly exploded into white hot rage. "Our _enemy_!" She snarled, clenching her hands into fists. "How can he be our enemy? He _helped_ me _escape_ Kanryuu!"

Seemingly unfazed by her anger, Tomoe smiled sadly. "Yes he did, because even he doesn't know what is happening to him. He would never do us harm of his own free will Kaoru. But that doesn't stop the fact that he is a danger to us all and he has to be dealt with accordingly."

Kaoru's heart sank to her gut and she nailed Tomoe with a suspicious glare. "Dealt with?… How?"

Tomoe seemed to shrink even further into herself before she replied in a strained voice, "We have to kill him, Kaoru. It's the only way to stop Kanryuu."

The words hung in the air between them before the reality of them hit Kaoru like a fist. For the briefest of moments her blood turned to ice before a sudden surge of fury heated her to near boiling. "_Kill Him?"_ She screamed as she shot to her feet. The chair she'd been using tumbled backwards and clattered loudly to the floor. "Are you _crazy?_! I'm not going to help you kill him! _I won't let you kill him_!"

Completely ignoring the stricken look on Tomoe's face as she rose, Kaoru avoided her outstretched hand and bolted for the door. Slamming it open she rushed out into the hall, nearly knocking over Sayo in her haste, and took off down the empty hall, running for all she was worth.

Kill him?… _Why_?… He didn't do anything wrong!… How could Tomoe even _say_ something like that! She gasped as a fist of iron squeezed her heart tight and she almost stumbled over her own feet as tears slipped from the corner of her eyes. How could she say it? Didn't she love him once?

The hallways she ran through passed in a blur in her misery until a cool draft of air suddenly brushed her wet cheek and she sniffled and slowed to a walk to see where she'd gone.

The well cared for halls she was used to seeing had already fallen behind to be replaced by a dusty, dank tunnel like walkway that Kaoru immediately recognized. She almost smiled as she wiped her cheeks dry. She hadn't been in this part of the manor since she'd been a little girl trying to hide to escape punishment.

She continued on being cautious of each step and quickly made her way to her favorite hiding place deep in the warren of hallways. It didn't take her long to reach the cobweb filled loft that overlooked an equally dusty dining room. According to Tomoe this part of the manor hadn't been used since her great, great grandfather had built the new section that was now the living quarters of everyone living within the shield. She'd never said why the new section had been built but Kaoru really didn't care. Not then and not now. She needed to think and this was the perfect place.

Settling into the less dirty corner of the loft, Kaoru tucked her legs up to her chest and tried to calm herself down. But no matter how hard she tried to relax, every time she thought of what Tomoe had said she felt as if she'd been punched in the gut all over again. There had to be a reason why Tomoe had said such a thing and Kaoru was scared to find out what it was, because she knew Tomoe would never say anything like that without good reason.

A faint scuffling sound broke into her thoughts and Kaoru tensed and was just about to rise when Sayo stepped into the loft.

"I knew I would find you here."

Kaoru settled back down with a sigh, "I thought you were Tomoe-sama."

Sayo smiled gently. "Tomoe said you were upset."

Kaoru scowled. "Do you know what she said?" She bit out angrily as Sayo knelt before her on the dusty floor. "She said we have to kill Kenshin. Why would we have to kill him? He didn't do anything wrong!"

Sayo rested her hands in her lap and sighed. "You didn't stay to listen to the rest, Kaoru. Tomoe wouldn't have said such a thing without a reason. You know that."

Kaoru frowned and did her best to ignore the gentle chastisement." I know, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let her kill him."

For a long moment Sayo simply watched her and Kaoru found herself crumbling under that understanding gaze. The dark haired, serene looking master mage was only a handful of years older than she herself but Kaoru still felt like a child under those chestnut eyes. Sayo had seen much with those eyes and understood even more thanks to her ability. And she had suffered far worse with her brother's death than Kaoru had in her whole life. For the first time since Tomoe had dragged her here Kaoru felt shame for acting like a spoiled child. Shougo and Hachiro had died while chasing Kanryuu to keep the black mage from finding her and here she was throwing a fit because she might lose the man she loved to the very same enemy. But she hadn't lost him yet, not like Sayo.

Sayo must have seen something in her eyes because the dark haired mage suddenly nodded to herself and smiled. "Tomoe explained to me why she believes Himura-san must be killed and I believe she may be right."

Kaoru stiffened.

"But," Sayo continued, laying a hand on Kaoru's knee, "Did you ever think that maybe you could find a way to help him instead of killing him? There is a reason why you are here, Kaoru. It may be true that you have to kill him, but that doesn't mean you can't try to find a way to save him instead."

Kaoru's eyes flew wide and she went rigid. "What do you mean _I_ have to kill him?"

That seemed to catch Sayo off guard and she gave Kaoru an odd look. "Tomoe didn't explain that to you yet?"

Kaoru swallowed thickly and shook her head as a touch of panic seized her chest. _She_ was supposed to kill him? Didn't Tomoe say _we_?

With a soft sigh Sayo rose and motioned for Kaoru to do the same. "It's time for you let Tomoe finish explaining. There will still be things that will upset you but you must understand, and understanding will help you not give up hope. If you do give up Himura-san will be lost and you may be too."

Pulling herself together, Kaoru ignored the part of her that still wanted to hide from the truth and rose to follow Sayo as she led the way through the dusty walkways back into the manor proper. Tomoe didn't really expect her to kill him, did she? A touch of nausea curled in her stomach and she shook her head. She should have waited for the full explanation. Sayo could be mistaken. No, she _had_ to be mistaken…

She was pulled from her thoughts when Sayo turned down a different hall than the one leading to Tomoe's study.

"Sayo-san, where are we going?"

Sayo glanced over her shoulder with a smile. "Tomoe asked me to bring you to the library."

Kaoru's brow creased. "Why?"

Sayo didn't answer and simply led her into the short hall that ended in a set of carved double doors. Sayo stepped back and motioned Kaoru forward. "She is waiting for you in the back near the oldest tomes."

Surprised, Kaoru was just about to question why Sayo wasn't coming when the dark haired mage vanished as if she'd never been there.

Kaoru hissed softly and tried to suppress a shiver. She would never get used to that ability. Projection was a lost art that not even she could do but Sayo had been able to since she was a child. Short distances only but the worst part was that Sayo could actually make herself feel solid, as if she was really there. It was enough to make Kaoru's skin crawl.

Shaking off her unease, Kaoru took a deep breath and turned her attention back to the double doors carved to represent the tree of knowledge and made her way into the library. Closing the door behind her Kaoru strode to the very back of the room ignoring the shelves upon shelves of books filling the air with their dusty smell. The scent became even stronger though as she came to the section Sayo had indicated. Back here were the tomes that no one save Tomoe dared to read. Kaoru sometimes wondered what secrets could be buried in their fragile shells. But she'd never been brave enough to so much as touch one, not even when she was a child.

She found Tomoe in the very back corner of the library facing an old threadbare tapestry depicting a fierce battle between a mage wielding what looked to be all the elements and a gigantic blue-scaled dragon. Kaoru couldn't stop the shiver that whispered over her skin at the life like scene. Although threadbare the cloth still held the rich colors depicting the scene and for a brief moment Kaoru felt as if she was being watched. She shivered again as Tomoe turned around.

"Are you ready to listen now?" Her mentor asked calmly.

Kaoru felt her cheeks heat but she refused to give into the embarrassment. "Is it true that you expect _me_ to kill Kenshin?"

Tomoe exhaled softly. "I see Sayo let that slip." Turning back to the tapestry Tomoe carefully lifted it to the side and tied it to a hook with a cord Kaoru hadn't seen before. "In here you will find all the answers you need."

Kaoru was just about to ask in where when Tomoe waved her hand and Kaoru felt a small pulse of power hit the wall. Much to her surprise the wall took on a reddish hue upon contact and continued to get brighter and brighter until a fiery rectangle the size of a door was outlined on the grey stone. Kaoru gasped softly at the sight as Tomoe laid her palm flat in the very center of the glowing door and whispered something Kaoru couldn't distinguish. A loud grating sound suddenly filled the library and Kaoru watched wide-eyed in wonder as the wall swung back revealing a room she had never known existed.

Without a backward glance Tomoe stepped through the newly made portal and with a flick of her wrist lit several lanterns Kaoru couldn't see.

Swallowing around the small knot of fear lodged in her throat, Kaoru followed and was stunned to find the room full of ancient books and age old artifacts. Two shelves, one tucked into each corner of the room held an assortment of old tools that she didn't recognize and chipped pottery of all colors and sizes that looked to have been crafted centuries ago. And yet that wasn't what truly caught her attention, what did was the selection of faintly glowing unsheathed blades resting in a wooden rack along the far wall between the shelves. Kaoru shivered as she eyed the blades and absently dropped her hand to the wakizashi still resting in her belt. They were glowing the same color as her own blade when it was near Kenshin.

She swallowed tightly and was just about to shift her attention elsewhere when she caught sight of the blue reptilian-like scale suspended in a small glass jar where it sat just below the rack of blades. Eyeing the blades above she noticed that the blue hue seemed to get brighter the closer they got to the jar.

"That is a scale from the Dragon God Ryujin."

Kaoru jumped and swung her attention to Tomoe who was standing before a bookcase gently dusting off a book she must have removed from one of the shelves. Shaking off the unease still whispering through her veins, Kaoru watched as Tomoe set the cleaned book on the worn table that dominated the center of the room.

"What do you mean Dragon God?" She asked as Tomoe walked to a bookcase on the opposite side of the room and chose another book. Tomoe simply shook her head as she dusted the slim book off then placed it beside the first.

Laying her hand on the first book she said, "This book explains in detail the race of people you are descended from and the Dragon God you asked about." Shifting her hand to the second she continued, "And this one was written by your ancestor before she vanished with the rest of your kind. The last passage explains what is happening to Kenshin and why we have to kill him."

Kaoru's eyes narrowed dangerously at the reminder but before she could say anything, Tomoe walked around the table and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know you won't believe me if I simply explain so I want you to read the truth for yourself. I will be in the library if you have any questions."

And with that she was gone. Kaoru's stomach clenched into a rock hard fist as she eyed the books laying innocently in the center of the worn table. If she didn't read them she'd never know right? There would be no truth to what Tomoe says, right?

She scowled and forced herself to take a seat in the chair on the other side of the table, putting the strange scale and everything else at her back. She would read this and prove to Tomoe that she was wrong.

With gentle hands she cracked the first untitled book and slowly began to decipher the archaic script describing the race of people Kenshin had spoken of. But as she read she soon realized that Kenshin and Tomoe were right, she was one of them, there was no way she could not be. It was all right here in these faded, fragile pages. Her eyes, her abilities.

Kaoru swallowed thickly and moved to the section about the gods that seemed to be somehow connected to her ancestors, half afraid of what she would find. These pages she soon found were less detailed, an explanation of the entities who had taken care of the people from the shadows until the fateful day that Ryujin, the highest amongst even the gods, declared war against her people.

The last few pages described the war briefly and the end result. The gods had all been destroyed save one. Ryujin himself. He had been too strong for even the strongest of her kind and had been sealed instead, his essence trapped after his body had been destroyed. All except for the single piece that now resided in the jar at her back.

With a soft sigh Kaoru closed the book and rubbed her eyes as a bone deep weariness settled on her like a blanket. Shaking it off the best she could, she turned to the second, far thinner book and lifted it with trembling hands. This one scared her even more than the first had because within these pages she was sure she would find the truth she didn't want to believe.

Getting control of her hands she gently opened the cover to find Kamiya written in elegant script down the very first page. Fear twisted her belly into a knot again but she ignored it, turned the page and began to read. The first few pages were another, more personal description of what had happened at the end of the war her family had participated in and Kaoru frowned as she turned several more pages to find more of the same. And then she remembered that Tomoe had said the last passage was all she really needed to read. Careful turning the pages Kaoru soon found the passage Tomoe had mentioned and began to read.

_The Dragon God is trapped for now but as long as he still lives behind the seal we have shed our blood to create, he will try to break free. All he needs is a host. The wards on the prison should hold against any attempt he may make to touch the world again but should they fail he will have the ability to create that which he needs and if he does it will only be a matter of time before he breaks free._

_I beg you keep close watch on his prison and should the wards weaken or fail, find the host. It will be hard but not impossible. Look for a scar. That will be where Ryujin has made his claim. It will change as the god grows stronger, as will the host's other features. If this should truly come to pass I pray some power will intervene and call forth one of us by whatever means necessary to vanquish this enemy because we are the only ones who can and we must leave you now to keep the balance. _

_But know that there is a danger to one of us being born into your world again. It is true she will be able to vanquish the host but she will also be the means to break open the seal completely. This warning I give to you Yukishiro-san. If she is found, guard her well or the world will once again know Ryujin's tyranny. The spell I have entrusted to you is the only way to succeed against him. _

_Guard them both with your life._

A drop of wetness suddenly splashed onto the fragile paper and Kaoru hastily dabbed it away before she rubbed the tears from her cheeks. It didn't say his name but everything she had witnessed up until now proved the truth.

Kenshin was the host.

Kaoru's hands started to tremble again as she closed the book. A faint sigh made her glance to the door and she felt tears slip from her eyes when she saw Tomoe leaning in the doorway, the look of sympathy on her face like a knife in the heart.

"I'm sorry, Kaoru." She murmured as she stepped into the room. "I didn't know until it was too late."

Kaoru sniffled and angrily scrubbed at the tears as she rose. "Why does it have to be him?"

A moment later Kaoru felt arms wrap around her and she felt her strength give way as the tears she'd been trying to stop spilled from her eyes. "Why… does it… have to… be him?" She repeated brokenly, as she wrapped her arms around Tomoe and hugged her for all she was worth.

"I don't know, Kaoru." Tomoe murmured softly, rubbing her back soothingly. "I don't know."

Kaoru had no idea how long she and Tomoe remained that way but once she'd managed to calm herself down she gently tugged from her teacher's arms and wasn't surprised to see Tomoe's cheeks wet.

"I'll find a way to save him, Tomoe-sama." Kaoru said remembering Sayo's words. Wiping her cheeks dry she smiled weakly. "Sayo-san said if anyone can save him I can."

Tomoe gave her a sad smile. "There is no way, Kaoru. He has to die… and you have to be the one to kill him. You are the only one who can use the spell that has been passed down in my family for this very reason."

Kaoru shook her head. "I won't kill him unless I _know_ there is no other way." She glanced to all the books lining the walls on both sides of the room. "There has to be something here. There _has_ to be!"

Tomoe sighed tiredly and stepped away. "If you wish to stay here and search I will allow it for today but after that I need to teach you the spell so you can practice until you can do it while fighting for your life. Kanryuu and his companion are not going to let Kenshin die easily."

Kaoru frowned but said nothing as Tomoe left her to her search. Once she was alone in the room again she turned to the shelf on her left and lifted a dusty tome off the shelf. A hearty blow cleared the cover enough for her to read the title.

Alchemy

A Guide for Beginners

Kaoru nearly put the book back until she realized that she had no idea how a host was even created. For all she knew it could have something to do with this archaic type of magic. She couldn't ignore any possibility. Not with Kenshin's life at stake.

And her own for that matter, because she would rather die than take his life. Host or not.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Only a couple of chapters left to go! :D


	17. The Wheels of Fate Turn

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 17 - The Wheels of Fate Turn

Three days later Kaoru closed the cover of the last book from the shelves, one of which told how the blades at her back and the wakizashi in her belt had been crafted. Sighing dejectedly she slumped wearily in the chair. After all that searching she'd found nothing she could use. Oh, there had been small tidbits, like the book she had just finished. During the war her family and one other had designed the blades and crafted them with magic for the sole purpose of killing the gods. But none, not even the ones at her back had been strong enough to kill Ryujin, only to separate his essence from his body which they had done.

Her eyes drifted to another book sitting on the edge of the table and another sigh escaped against her will. And yesterday she'd finally found the explanation of how Ryujin had made his claim on Kenshin buried in that book amidst another more clinical telling of the gods and their practices before the war. Excited beyond words she'd quickly read through the rest of the pages in hopes of finding the answer to how the small piece of himself that Ryujin had implanted into Kenshin's cheek could be removed. But there had been nothing in that one or any of the others after that either.

Tears started burning her eyes but she stubbornly held them back. She had been so sure some clue would be found in all of these ancient books written by her ancestors. Enough so that after the one day Tomoe had allowed her to search she'd snuck down here in the early morning hours of the next day to test the door herself to see if she could get at the books again. She'd been surprised and even a little bit unnerved when the wall had simply swung open at her touch but she'd immediately taken advantage of the strange miracle and spent the rest of the hours before daybreak searching as many books as she could before Tomoe woke and had her practicing the spell that would kill him.

Kaoru shuddered at the thought of the weapon her teacher expected her to use against Kenshin and swiftly rose to replace the books. Everyone would be up soon and she needed to be back in her bed before anyone noticed. Lifting two of the fragile tomes with careful hands she turned to the shelf on her left and eased them back into place. As far as she knew she'd managed to keep her early morning excursions a secret and she really didn't want to be caught. Not when she now knew Tomoe's words to be true, there really was no way to save him.

Her eyes started to burn again as she turned for another set of books. Which meant she really was going to have to use that horrible spell. The frail covers bent under the pressure from her fingers and she quickly shoved the thought from her mind and gave her full attention back to replacing the books. In a matter of moments she had cleared the table and was just about to douse the lone lantern she'd lit to push back the darkness and leave when Sayo popped up in front of the door two feet from Kaoru was standing.

With a strangled cry of surprise, Kaoru stumbled back nearly knocking the lantern to the floor. Catching it with one hand she held her other over her heart in a vain attempt to calm its rapid pounding.

"Breakfast is ready." The dark haired master mage said with a smile, clearly pleased with Kaoru's reaction. "Tomoe wishes for you to eat and then meet her in the practice field."

Kaoru paled. It was breakfast already? That meant she'd been down here longer than she'd meant to be this morning. And then the rest of what Sayo had said sank in and Kaoru froze. Tomoe knew she was in here!

"Yes, she knows," Sayo replied to the thought. "But she isn't upset, she expected it. Did you find anything in your search?"

Kaoru frowned and shook her head as the tears she'd held off threatened again. "She was right, Sayo-san, there is no way to save him. I've read everything here and there's nothing telling how to save him or even a hint of how it might be possible."

Sayo gave her a sympathetic nod. "Then you must prepare yourself or Takeda will win."

Kaoru scowled and angrily wiped away the single tear that had slipped free. "I could always kill myself instead. They can't destroy the seal without me!" She replied stubbornly.

The look of horror that flew across Sayo's face made Kaoru wince but before she could say anything Sayo moved to stand toe to toe with her, anger clear in her hard chestnut glare. Kaoru tried to take a step back but Sayo caught her arm in a bone crushing grip. "Never say something like that again." The master mage murmured icily. "Yes it may stop him but there is nothing to say he won't find a way to break the seal some other way. He _is_ a black mage, Kaoru, and if he does and you are already dead, you will condemn us all."

Kaoru flinched at the stark truth and sagged against the edge of the table as her chest tightened painfully. Sayo released her arm and took a step back. "I regret setting you on this path, Kaoru, but now you know there is no other way. You must do what has to be done whether you love him or not." And with that the dark haired mage vanished as quickly as she'd come.

Kaoru wilted even further against the worn wood and shook her head as more tears slipped from her eyes. What a mess. No matter what any of them said she didn't think she could do it. Especially not with _that_ spell. The first time she had successfully created it she had thought it a true wonder to behold, a glowing sphere of power that seemed to undulate in her palm, shifting colors seamlessly from blue to purple to red to green and even to clear to represent air. It truly was a beautiful piece of magic.

But beautiful or not it's true nature had become crystal clear the first and only time she'd launched it at the dummy they'd set up in the practice field. She hadn't really known what to expect when she'd attacked but what she hadn't expected was for the sphere to simply melt into the fake Kenshin's chest. The true horror however came a moment later when the dummy had suddenly lit up in a brilliant white light so bright that she'd had cover her eyes. She hadn't been able to actually see the explosion, but she'd felt a ground shaking thump that she hadn't understood until the concussion of it hit her dead in the chest. In a panic she had opened her eyes as soon as the light had faded and had been horrified to see nothing left of the dummy but a small patch of burned grass where it had stood only a moment before. Everything down to the last splinter of wood had been completely obliterated in that one moment.

Kaoru shuddered at the memory and angrily wiped the tears from her cheeks as she pushed off the table and left the hidden room. They couldn't make her do that to him. She would find another way!

* * *

The practice yard was suddenly silent as the concussion of the blast melted away and Tomoe watched as Kaoru fell to her knees ignoring the two strikes aiming dead at her. Misao and Sayo both shot forward hoping to stop the attack they'd launched but neither one was fast enough. One struck Kaoru in the shoulder and she was thrown sideways far enough for the other fireball to brush past her without contact, exploding against a tree several yards away instead.

"Do you think she'll be able to do this?" Megumi asked from where she stood beside Tomoe in the shadow of the trees. The healer mage had arrived the day before without Akira and with dire news. Takeda had disappeared. Tomoe had no idea where he would have gone. She had expected him to come here after Kaoru but Megumi said there was no sign of him for twenty miles in any direction. He, Suzaku and Kenshin had simply vanished. Not even Kaoru could find them, which worried her more than she liked to admit.

Akira on the other hand had decided to make the trek to the cursed wood with Hiko-san instead of wasting time coming here. She saw the wisdom of her husband's decision but she missed him terribly. She could really use him here right now. For herself and for Kaoru. He had always been one of Kaoru's favorites and she his, if anyone could get her to see reason it would be him.

"I don't know." She finally admitted with a tired sigh. "This is the first time she has destroyed the dummy since the day I first taught her the spell." Tomoe glanced to the healer mage. "She loves him more than I thought possible in the short time they were together. Even if she can, this is going to destroy her."

Megumi smiled half heartedly. "Is there really no other way?"

Tomoe shook her head as Kaoru finally pushed to her feet and dusted herself off. Misao and Sayo hovered around her worriedly, checking to make sure she was uninjured. Neither strike had been meant to harm only to imitate possible attacks Takeda and Suzaku would use against her while she was dealing with Kenshin.

"I've read most of those books myself out of curiosity over the years." She murmured as Kaoru slowly made her way towards the manor with Misao and Sayo on her heels. "None of them had any useful information except the two I had Kaoru read."

Megumi sighed and laid a hand on her arm. "Then we will have to have faith that she will do what needs to be done when the time comes. No one can force her to."

Tomoe unwittingly stiffened and Megumi, realizing her train of thought, hissed under her breath. "Don't even think about it, Tomoe! I won't let you do that to her!"

Tomoe turned to the healer mage and murmured tightly, "I will do what must be done." With that she started for the manor.

"You cannot use that spell, Tomoe, or you will be no better than Takeda himself!" Megumi all but shouted as she ran to catch up with her. Tomoe's calm demeanor slipped and she rounded on the healer mage. Her own face pale and eyes pained. "I don't want to either! It makes me sick to even think that I might have to actually force her to do this but if she cannot do it then I will have no choice! Can you not see that?"

Megumi flinched then frowned. "Sometimes I wish I had never found that book. Then maybe you wouldn't be tempted like this."

Tomoe exhaled softly and started for the manor again. "I do too, but it was found and I have read it. I swear I will only use that spell if there is absolutely no other choice."

Megumi grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop. "Promise me you won't use it until Takeda is on the very brink of breaking the seal." The healer mage demanded. "Not a second before."

Tomoe smiled hollowly to herself then dipped her head. "I promise, not a second before."

Megumi seemed to be satisfied by that, because she released her arm and they closed the last several yards to the manor in silence. Tomoe saying no more but her mind was churning. What Megumi had failed to realize is that if she could do it, then so could Takeda. They weren't even sure how the seal would be broken, nothing in the books had said anything about that. Just that Kaoru would be the key. There was too much of the unknown.

The back door of the manor suddenly slammed open drawing her attention and she watched in surprise as Ayame and Suzume came flying out, followed by their teenaged sitter Hitomi who was looking more harried than usual.

"Tomoe-sama!" Ayame screeched, as she shot towards the two of them at breakneck speed. Tomoe smiled as the young girl collided with her legs and wrapped her arms around them. It faltered though when Ayame turned wide concerned eyes up to her.

"Kaoru-neesan is weird today, is she okay?"

Tomoe bit back a sigh and dropped a soothing hand on the little girl's head. "Yes. She just has a lot on her mind right now."

For a moment Ayame eyed her as if she didn't believe and then she smiled brightly. "Oh! Then it's time to eat!"

Tomoe chuckled as the little girl released her legs and skipped back to Hitomi. For the moment that smile was enough to push back the darkness that had settled over the manor the last few days.

"Forgive me Yukishiro-sama." Hitomi murmured as she came up to them with a wiggling Suzume in her arms. "Sagara-san sent them out to tell you that the midday meal has been set."

Tomoe smiled and waved off her apology. "It's fine. We'll be there in a moment."

Hitomi dipped a bow the best she could then gathered Ayame and headed for the manor.

"What I wouldn't give to have their blind optimism right now." Megumi said as they started for the door themselves.

Tomoe sighed softly. "Me too."

They soon entered the back door of the manor and weaved their way through the halls to the small family dining area. The scent of udon grew stronger as they drew closer and Tomoe smiled. Sano had made Kaoru's favorite. He must have sensed her growing desperation too, maybe this would help calm her down a little bit, at least for a little while.

Yet when they reached the dark paneled windowless room, the blue eyed apprentice mage was nowhere to be found. Tomoe was just about to turn around and go look for her when Aoshi spoke up from where he was seated beside Misao.

"Kamiya-san said she wasn't hungry and has retired to her room."

Sano scowled. "Not even for this!" he added grouchily as Megumi settled down beside him. Yet even though he was irritated Tomoe could hear the clear worry in the ex-fighter's tone.

"She doesn't look good, Tomoe-sama." Misao noted with a frown. "Are you sure she has to do this?"

Tomoe settled down at the head of the table and was just about to answer when Hitomi came in with her freshly cleaned charges and she shook her head instead as Ayame and Suzume bounced into place. "Everything will be fine."

"I hope you're right." Sayo murmured. "But I belie - "

The dark haired mage stopped mid-sentence and suddenly cried out, gripping her head as if she'd been struck violently by an invisible hand.

Startled, Tomoe dropped the chopsticks she had just picked up and reached out to her. "What - "

"He's here!" Sayo exclaimed a moment later, her head still cradled in her hands. With wild eyes she grabbed Tomoe's outstretched arm in a death grip. "They're trying to break the shield!"

Tomoe's blood turned to ice as the room suddenly exploded into activity and she stared at Sayo in horror.

"Can they?"

* * *

Kenshin tensed as two more blasts hit the shield simultaneously, one of lightning and one of fire so hot that it shimmered in the warm midday air. The mountain face wavered dangerously under the onslaught but still held, instantly resuming its solid illusion. And angry growl tore from Kanryuu's throat.

"How are we supposed to get past this shield_!_"

The red-eyed mage Kanryuu had named Suzaku a couple of days ago turned to the black mage. "Its age has made it immune to direct attacks and the creator has put safeguards within the weave to keep my kind out." A nasty grin slid across his pale lips. "However, they did not anticipate my regeneration and based this shield in fire. With help I will be able to bring it down."

Kenshin frowned. With help?

But no sooner had the thought crossed his mind then a sharp, tear inducing pain tore through his left cheek and Kenshin felt the _thing_ he'd been battling begin to move again. He inwardly groaned as the red eyed mage smiled knowingly and slowly began closing the distance between them. For the last three days since the _thing_ had first made itself known, he'd been waging a continuous, mind-numbing war against the entity trying to take his body. And he was slowly losing.

The pain spiked suddenly and Kenshin clenched his teeth to keep from crying out and slapped a hand over the scaly mess his scar had become in a weak effort to stop the creature from taking hold. Not here. Not now! He wouldn't succumb this time! Not this close to Kaoru!

An outside force slammed into the side of his head and Kenshin stumbled sideways and fell to the ground with a grunt of surprise. Another invisible strike came on the heels of the first and Kenshin absorbed the shock the best he could then nailed Suzaku with a deadly glare. "I won't let it out here." He grated between clenched teeth. The pain in his head was becoming unbearable.

The red eyed mage chuckled. "You shouldn't waste your energy fighting him. In the end Ryujin will win and you will disappear."

Kenshin went rigid. That was the first time either of them had given a name to the entity attempting to push him out. And one he had never expected to hear.

Another powerful hit caught him in the side of the head and he groaned as his hold slipped dangerously. But that was all the creature needed. With a triumphant roar that reverberated through his mind Ryujin wrested control of his body. A moment later the pain he'd felt in his head all but vanished and he found himself standing when the thought hadn't even crossed his mind.

With a growl of rage Kenshin shoved back against the entity with everything he had as the creature started moving him towards the shield. This was the first time he'd lost complete control like this! Ryujin growled angrily, the sound seeming to come from everywhere at once and he felt the god shove back just as hard but Kenshin could feel the tenuous hold the god had on his body. Something was still holding Ryujin back from pushing him out completely. That small shred of hope kept Kenshin fighting but in the end exhaustion forced him to give way allowing the god to remain in control. He had nothing left after fighting him almost non-stop for the last three days. Exhaustion had won the battle for Ryujin.

A handful of steps later they came up to stand beside Suzaku in front of the shield and Kenshin watched confused as Ryujin lifted his hands and placed them against the seemingly solid wall beside the other mage's. A tingle whispered over his fingertips at the contact and he winced as the pain in his cheek momentarily spiked. This pain he was familiar with, it had always been like this when he'd tried to cross. The more he attempted to push through, the worse the pain would become until it brought him to his knees. He had no idea what Ryujin thought he could do with this body. He himself had never been able to get in, so he couldn't see how the god was going to either.

The question was soon answered though when a sudden flood of unexplained heat spilled through his body, the feeling so foreign that he gasped at the sense of euphoria it created. At first he didn't understand what it was and then he noticed the shimmering white essence beginning to envelop his hands. Pressure similar to what he'd felt the day Suzaku and Kanryuu had taken him pressed against his shoulders and his knees bent under the unbearable weight. A faint scoff whispered through his mind and a moment later the pressure was gone as if it had never been. Out of the corner of his eye Kenshin noticed the same type of essence, only reddish orange, suddenly surround Suzaku's hands and he finally realized just exactly what was happening.

"No!" Kenshin shouted renewing the fight against the creature invading his body. How was this even possible! He wasn't mageborn!

But Ryujin ignored his weak attempts and turned his full attention to the power Kenshin could feel the god drawing into his body before forcing into the shield. The seemingly solid stone suddenly rippled like water and he and Suzaku's hands began to glow even brighter. The rush of power spilling through his veins became almost more than he could stand.

Suddenly the mountain gave another liquid like shudder under the steady onslaught of magic and Suzaku immediately took advantage of the weakness. With one last well aimed pulse of power the shield gave way with a violent crack before it exploded into a million glittering pieces that rained down from the sky like falling stars, revealing the sunlit manor and its surrounding lands for the first time in two hundred years.

* * *

Within the manor the chaos that had erupted at Sayo's warning was suddenly brought to an abrupt halt when every single mage let out an ear piercing scream and went to their knees where they stood. Their faces twisted in pain.

Stunned, Sano and Aoshi scrambled to assist Megumi and Misao while Sayo and Tomoe clung to each other for support as wave after wave of blinding pain rolled over them like a violent storm.

Alone in an upper hall of the manor, Kaoru curled into a ball on the floor, her teeth clenched against a groan, as the mind-numbing waves ruthlessly tore through her mind. The loud cracking sound had drawn her out of her room but she'd only managed a couple of steps past her door when the attack had come. Faintly she heard screams from somewhere down below and she absently wondered what was going on. A handful of moments later the torment finally subsided enough for her to push to her knees and she rubbed her still aching brow as she careful rose to her feet.

Her head spun sickeningly as she blindly reached for the wall to steady herself and waited for the last effects of the attack to finally melt away. It had to have been a backlash of some sort but of what she couldn't say what. There was no piece of magic in the manor that was that strong…

And then it all of a sudden hit her. The shield. It was the only thing it could be. Her stomach rolled at the thought and she half ran, half stumbled to one of the windows lining the hallway to confirm her fear and felt the blood drain from her face when saw the familiar shimmer she had known all her life was gone. Clear blue unbroken sky went on for as far as the eye could see.

An explosion suddenly rocked the window casing under hand and she jumped back and fled down the hall towards the stairs. Two more explosions followed on the heels of the first, rocking the hallway floor beneath her feet and she instinctively ducked as dust started raining down from the ceiling. A moment later she reached the set of stairs leading to the first floor and she flew down them as fast as she dared.

Another explosion rocked the manor violently and Kaoru stumbled on the last step and would have gone face first into the stone floor of the main entryway had Sano not been there to catch her.

"Whoa, jou-chan!" Sano said taking a step back to absorb the shock of her fall. "Slow down!"

Still in a panic Kaoru wrestled free of his arms as soon as he set her on her feet and was just about to demand what was going on when Tomoe and Megumi came into view behind Sano. The ashen hue to her teacher's cheeks stopped the words dead in her throat though, and Kaoru felt true fear slide through her veins at the clear worry on her mentor's face.

"Hitomi and the girls are safe down below." Sayo said suddenly and Kaoru jumped as she swung her attention to the entryway that led further into the manor where Sayo, Aoshi and Misao were just coming in to join them. Her eyes widened when they fell on the dark haired master mage. Sayo looked even worse than Tomoe. Her ashen face was two shades lighter than her teacher's and her hands were trembling slightly as if the act of walking was taxing her energy to the limit.

Nothing but silence came at Sayo's comment and for a second Kaoru didn't think Tomoe had heard and then she turned and nodded. It was then her teacher finally noticed she was standing beside Sano.

"It's time, Kaoru." Tomoe said as she closed the handful of feet separating them. Sano stepped away from her and walked to where Megumi now stood alone. "Kenshin is out there."

Those four words made Kaoru's blood run cold and she shook her head as her stomach twisted painfully. She cringed as another explosion came from somewhere off to her left, making the floor shudder under her feet.

"No… I can't…"

Tomoe's face hardened. "You have to, Kaoru." she admonished sharply, even as fear darkened her eyes. "They have come here for you and I don't think we can stop them, not with Ryujin awakened within Kenshin. That's the only reason the shield fell!"

"No!" Kaoru shouted vehemently. But her refusal was drowned out by an ear-splitting crack and then front door of the manor suddenly imploded sending everyone within the entryway scrambling out of the way of the wooden shards. Kaoru ducked a large jagged chunk and slammed her back against the wall as Tomoe dove for the stairs. A heartbeat later Tomoe was back on her feet and with one last look to Kaoru ran out the shattered door with Megumi, Sano and the rest hot on her heels. All except Sayo who lay sprawled unconscious on the other side of the entryway. In a panic Kaoru hurried over to her and was relieved to find a weak pulse under her fingertip. Arranging the fallen mage more comfortably she steeled herself and followed the rest out the door.

But as soon as she crossed the threshold she had to fling herself against the outside wall to avoid a lightning bolt that had come arcing down from the clear blue sky to slam into the ground mere feet from the door. The courtyard beyond was pure chaos. More lightning bolts rained down with deadly accuracy, electrifying the very air itself. Directly in front of her Misao just barely dodged one of the strikes and awkwardly flung a fireball back at the black mage as Aoshi moved in with his kodochi. Kaoru moved to lend the pair a hand when a shout of agony suddenly came from her right, pulling her attention.

Sano lay on his back in the dusty courtyard with a smoking hole in his chest, the cloth of his shirt had been burned away and the skin beneath blackened. Megumi and Tomoe both stood over him facing the red eyed mage she'd seen with Kanryuu what seemed like forever ago. Icy fear slid through her veins when her eyes met his across the expanse and she shivered at the smile that crept across his lips.

However that momentary lapse of attention was all Tomoe seemed to have been waiting for because a moment later he was enveloped in a cocoon of fire so hot it had gone white. But like he had before the mage simply absorbed the fire without so much as a singed hair and returned the attack tenfold. Tomoe let out an ear piercing scream as a shimmering blaze wrapped around her, engulfing her from head to toe.

Any fear Kaoru may have felt upon seeing the strange mage evaporated under the intense anger that suddenly spilled through her veins.

With a growl of rage she shot towards the grinning mage as Megumi thrust her hands into the inferno and yanked Tomoe free. The spell Kaoru had learned just a couple of days ago came to life in her hand with barely a thought and she shot towards the mage fully intent on killing him. The mage's grin disappeared when his eyes fell on the pulsing sphere in her hand. But she never got a chance to use it because in the next instant something slammed into her back, forcing her to the ground.

A grunt of pain tore from her throat as she hit the unforgiving earth and skidded across the dirt. A faint otherworldly rumbling sound came from somewhere behind her and she shivered as a tiny sliver of fear crawled up her spine. Slowly pushing to her feet she turned to face her attacker already knowing who she would see.

Even so, the knowledge didn't stop her stomach from plummeting to her feet when her eyes fell on the redhead she had come to love standing on the other side of the courtyard. As she took in the familiar face she realized that although he looked like Kenshin, he wasn't the man she loved right now. Even from here she could see his eyes still held the fierce golden hue. His expression one Kenshin would never wear.

Ryujin.

Kaoru began to tremble as he started walking towards her and she had to consciously stop herself from backing away. Her mind scrambling in panic. This wasn't supposed to be happening now. She wasn't ready for this!

But as he continued to slowly advance the hated weave burst to life in her hand of its own free will. Her stomach twisted painfully at the thought of using it and she had to clench her teeth to keep from getting sick. Someone suddenly moved behind her and she stiffened waiting for the red eyed mage to strike her down. A part of her almost wished he would and save her from having to face this.

However a moment later an angry howl came instead before Tomoe murmured, "Do it now, Kaoru…" barely loud enough for her to hear over the hammering of her heart.

Kaoru winced at her teacher's soft pleading and shook her head, never taking her eyes off Kenshin. She noticed as he drew closer that his cheek had gone completely blue now, the scaly flesh shimmering slightly in the afternoon sun. Tears started to burn her eyes. She really was going to do this!

Kenshin's advance suddenly came to an abrupt halt and then much to her surprise he stumbled backwards as if he'd been yanked by an invisible hand. Kaoru unthinkingly took a step towards him but stopped dead when a guttural growl cut through the quiet yard. Kenshin's golden eyes seemed to blaze to life and with a glare that made Kaoru's blood run cold he started forward again. But he'd only managed to take one step when he was wrenched backwards again, this time falling back several steps.

Kaoru cringed as a howl of rage that was most definitely not human tore from Kenshin's throat before the red head simply vanished. A moment later a hand locked around her throat with a crushing grip, cutting her air off and her vision filled with fierce golden eyes. Fear and horror ripped through her.

"_Mine_…" The creature inside Kenshin growled in a voice that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once.

"Now Kaoru…"

The quiet request seemed to whisper directly into her ear and Kaoru started to raise the glowing sphere in her hand.

All of a sudden the grip on her throat stilled, then lessened and Kaoru's hand stopped as the golden eyes trapping her attention suddenly flickered to the soft violet that she loved for a brief moment. Almost immediately the eyes shifted back to reptilian gold but not before she'd seen the look of determination hardening their violet depths. They flickered again a heartbeat later, the violet holding longer this time as the hand loosened even more.

Tears flooded Kaoru's eyes blurring her vision. Kenshin was fighting the god with everything he had. The eyes flickered yet again and this time Kaoru saw something in them that she had been desperately hoping for but had never really believed possible.

Love.

More tears spilled from her eyes as she watched the fight for control continue unabated. She couldn't attack him now. There had to be another way.

"Kaoru! Do it now!"

The weave in her hand pulsed as if it recognized the order and wished to obey.

"Tomoe! _Stop it_!"

An angry roar suddenly shook the ground beneath her feet and Kaoru inwardly gasped as the hand tightened around her neck again and then a needle of power pierced the center of her throat painfully. Almost immediately her world began to dim and her entire body went numb, the weave in her hand winked out as if it had never been. The hand around her throat suddenly let go and Kaoru dropped towards the ground like a lead weight but gentle hands caught her and cradled her before she could hit.

With what little bit of strength she still had she forced her eyes to focus on the ones watching her and smiled in relief at what she saw before she finally gave into the darkness.

Violet… and only violet. Steady and sure and focused on her.

Kenshin had won.

* * *

It was true, Kenshin had won… but only for the moment.

Within his mind Ryujin riled weakly against his consciousness, desperately trying to take hold again but Kenshin held him back as he cradled Kaoru in his lap. He had won but he had also lost. Just before Ryujin had given way the god had sent out some kind of attack that had taken down everyone in the yard that could have fought them off.

In the end it was Takeda and Suzaku who had won.

They now had Kaoru. And there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Only one chapter left to go! And the good news is... it's already started. XD


	18. Darkest… Before the Dawn

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

**FanArt Alert - **MelyCat at devART and my faithful beta has done a beautiful rendition of the final scene of the last chapter that I would like all of you to take a moment to look at. It truly is an outstanding piece that brings to life that particular moment. So please take a moment, either before or after you read this chapter, and pop over to my profile page where you'll find the address for the image copy and pastable to see to this wonderful piece of work. I promise it will be well worth your time.

* * *

Chapter 18 - Darkest… Before the Dawn

A tiny hand patting her cheek roused Sayo from unconsciousness and she groaned softly as the headache caused by the backlash reasserted itself in her temples. Wincing as the pain spiked with each pat she slowly blinked her eyes open to see who it was.

"Sayo-nee!" Suzume chirped excitedly just inches away from her face. Sayo went cross-eyed for a moment trying to focus on the little girl before the three year old bounced back.

The sound of hurried footsteps closed in from somewhere off to her left. Stifling another groan she slowly started levering herself up.

"Sayo-san!" Hitomi exclaimed in relief as she fell to her knees beside her. "You're the only one we've been able to wake!"

An icy cold chill swept through Sayo. "What do you mean?" she asked once she'd risen to a sitting position. Several aches she hadn't noticed before made themselves known but she barely felt them when she noticed the destruction surrounding them. Destruction that no one else occupied.

"What happened?" She murmured more to herself than the young girl beside her as she continued to her feet.

"I don't know…" Hitomi replied shakily. Sayo could hear the tears the she was trying to hold in. "No one else will wake up!"

"Hitomi-neesan!" Ayame suddenly cried out, running in from outside. "Sano-nii coughed!"

The young woman bounded to her feet and was following Ayame out the door before Sayo could even start across the shard littered floor. Grabbing Suzume's hand before the little girl could follow carelessly, Sayo guided her around the larger pieces of shattered wood. The last thing she remembered was the door exploding. What had happened afterwards?

Several steps later she had the answer to that question as she made her way out into the mid afternoon sunshine and saw the rest of the manor's occupants scattered in the courtyard. Every single one either unconscious or dead. Her own injuries were immediately forgotten as she let Suzume go and hurried over to the one Hitomi and Ayame were huddled around. She gasped when Sano's wound came into view and quickly knelt beside him, searching him for signs of life. Ayame had said he'd coughed and from what she could tell he was breathing, shallowly, but thankfully still breathing. However with a wound like that he wasn't going to survive without help.

"Take the girls inside." Sayo demanded softly. Much to her relief the young woman didn't argue and simply dipped her head then rose to do her bidding. A minute later she had collected both girls and were hustling them inside, ignoring their worried protests.

Once they were safely inside Sayo quickly scanned the yard for Megumi and was relieved to find the healer mage laying on her side a handful of feet away. Beside her lay Tomoe also curled on her side but where Megumi seemed to be uninjured Tomoe looked as if she'd been through a fierce battle. The adept mage's clothes were blackened in spots and her exposed skin was an angry red, some places even blistering as if she'd been burned. A small twinge of fear tightened in Sayo's chest as she jumped to her feet and hurried over to the two praying that they were alive. As she drew closer she noticed that the Megumi's hands and forearms were also an angry red.

Dropping to her knees between the pair she searched for signs of life and sagged in relief when she saw both of them breathing. Turning her attention to Megumi she shook the healer mage's shoulder in an attempt to wake her, not really expecting that it would. By the sounds of it Hitomi and the girls had already tried. When no reaction came she reached for the small pouch containing a variety of herbs and such that Megumi always carried on her. Swiftly undoing the tie she dumped the contents into her lap and searched for the small vial of smelling salts she knew Megumi carried for just this occasion. A faint smile teased Sayo's lips, she doubted Megumi ever expected to be on the receiving end of the sharp pungent smell.

In a matter of moments she found the vial and undid the stopper, then waved it beneath Megumi's nose. The healer mage didn't so much as shift. Sayo frowned as she attempted to rouse her again. She started to panic when several more tries yielded no response at all. Stuffing the other items back into the bag she hastily set it aside and turned to Tomoe to try and rouse her instead. But just as she was about to wave the vial under the adept's nose a cough came from behind her and she whirled around to see Megumi slowly blinking her eyes open.

Gradually brown eyes focused on her and the healer mage started to lever herself up on shaking arms. "What -" Whatever she was going to say was cut off by a wince and a gasp and Sayo immediately moved to help her take the pressure off her injured arms.

"Careful, your hands and arms are burned pretty bad."

Megumi gave her a weak smile in thanks as she settled into a sitting position and looked at her trembling hands. "Suzaku." She murmured, eyeing the reddened skin. "I'm surprised he let us live after Ryujin took us down."

Sayo stiffened, "Ryujin!"

Megumi nodded. "He's only one step away from taking Ken-san completely." She paused as she glanced to Aoshi and Misao laying several feet away. "And now they have Kaoru, the last piece they needed to release him."

Sayo's eyes widened in surprise and she glanced to the yard herself again. She hadn't even noticed that Kaoru was not among them. Any icy cold shiver raced through her body. It had been hours since the attack. For all they knew Takeda could already be at the prison breaking it open.

"I think we still have time." Megumi said softly, as if she'd somehow read her thoughts.

Sayo jumped and turned her attention back to her with a questioning look.

"Kaoru was attacked at the same time we were so I doubt she is any better off." Megumi explained rubbing her head as if it ached. "Most likely she's worse since she took Ryujin's attack directly. I doubt she will wake anytime soon so they will not be able to use her just yet."

Sayo wasn't sure she believed that but it really didn't matter, none of them were ready to face them anyway. All she could do is hope Megumi was right and together the two of them needed to get as many of the others on their feet as they could and head to the prison themselves. Thankfully Akira and Hiko were already there; hopefully they would be enough to keep Takeda and Suzaku at bay.

Her own headache started pricking at her temples again and with a sigh, she set aside her worry and pointed behind Megumi. "Sano needs your help, his wounds are severe."

Megumi's eyes flew wide and she spun around and without another word quickly rose and made her way over to the fallen ex-fighter. A moment later an angry hiss spilled into the quiet yard.

"Sayo, please go get me the small red jar in my room." Megumi all but demanded. "It's on my desk."

Sayo felt the blood drain from her face and she shook her head. "No. You can't use that! It almost killed you the last time!"

Megumi spun around so quickly that Sayo took a step back in fear. Her heart twisted painfully at the stark fear and panic darkening the healer mage's eyes.

"I have to or he is going to die!"

"But - " Sayo started.

"Whatever Ryujin did drained me completely." Megumi explained in a tight voice. "Without that herb I can't do anything!"

Sayo's eyes widened, she wasn't suffering like that. She still had full use of her own magic. "Can you use me?" She asked suddenly. It would be far better than that herb.

That seemed to catch Megumi off guard and the healer mage gave her an odd look. "You're not drained?"

Sayo shook her head. "No. It looks like whatever he did didn't affected me since I was already unconscious."

For a moment Megumi simply stared at her with a look that said she was weighing something she really didn't want to before she finally dipped her head in a slight nod. "There is one spell I can use but it'll be very painful."

"Its black magic isn't it." Sayo murmured.

Megumi hesitated for a second before she seemed to sag into herself and nodded. Without a word Sayo closed the distance between them and reached out her hand. "Do it."

Megumi stiffened. "Are you sure?"

Sayo nodded. "It's either that or you kill yourself with that herb. I can handle it." She smiled. "Just don't kill me."

Megumi gave her a small smile and reached out to clasp her hand. A moment later Sayo felt a surge of lightheadedness steal her energy and she crumbled to her knees beside Sano and then as Megumi had warned, a stomach twisting pain suddenly ripped along every nerve in her body. Sayo clenched her teeth to keep from screaming and watched as the burns on Megumi's hand began to fade before her very eyes. But soon even that was too much and Sayo finally closed her eyes and focused her entire being on overcoming the pain, continuously telling herself that this was only the beginning. She had to endure long enough to save Sano and get the others back on their feet again.

Hiko and Akira were going to need all the help they could get.

* * *

Late afternoon sunshine warmed Kenshin's scarred cheek as he followed Suzaku and Takeda along the barren track leading north. A still unconscious Kaoru rested on his back, her added weight dragging wearily on his legs. But he refused to allow either one of the others to so much as lay a hand on her. Even Ryujin seemed loathe to allow it and had gone back to being nothing more than an irritant in his head and cheek instead of attempting to gain control of his body. It was either that or the god had overextended himself at the manor, Kenshin wasn't sure which and to be honest he really didn't care so long as the god remained silent.

Suzaku and Takeda however were not happy about Kaoru's continued unresponsiveness. Both were constantly stopping to check and see if she had roused yet. In truth he was starting to get a little worried himself. It had been nearly four hours since the attack on the manor and she had shown no signs of life save for breathing since she'd fallen. It was as if she wasn't there anymore. The very thought twisted his stomach and he grimaced at the pain. She was there, she had to be or Ryujin would be raging. The god wouldn't have done anything that would jeopardize his release, no matter how much he hated Kaoru and her kind.

Another half mile passed under Kenshin's feet before the faintest of groans whispered into his right ear where Kaoru's head rested. A relieved smile spread across his lips. Slowing somewhat he leaned forward a little to keep her from falling while she shifted. Another groan came, louder this time, as Kaoru lifted her head and Kenshin turned his enough to catch a glimpse of foggy blue eyes blinking owlishly at the light.

Kaoru winced and raised the arm that had been draped over his shoulder to rub at her temple. "What happened?" she mumbled when her eyes met his. Kenshin was about to answer when her eyes shifted over his shoulder to take in her surroundings and stopped on Suzaku and Takeda who had yet to see that she had woken. She froze as understanding flitted across her face.

Kenshin held her a little bit tighter and murmured. "Yes. They have you now. But they don't know you're awake. The longer they stay that way the better."

Taking the cue Kaoru's arms immediately wrapped around his neck again and she settle back down with her lips towards his ear as if she was still unconscious. He could feel her rapid heartbeat against his back and he held her a little tighter in an attempt to alleviate her fear. "The others?" She mumbled into his ear.

Kenshin shook his head slightly. "I don't know. They all went down at the same time you did."

Kaoru seemed to sag into herself and Kenshin added, "But Suzaku and Takeda left them as they lay so I think they'll wake like you did."

Kaoru stiffened. "Suzaku?" She breathed shakily. "Do you mean the god Suzaku?"

Kenshin exhaled softly and nodded. "I believe so although neither has said so. It's the only explanation for the things I've seen him do. I don't know how but Takeda somehow revived him."

Kenshin could feel Kaoru start to tremble but before he could say anything more she shifted her left hand until her palm faced the god's back and he felt her begin to draw on elements all around them. Surprised that he could even sense such a thing he almost didn't notice the luminescent ball coming to life in her palm. Ryujin immediately roused at the threat and started pushing against his conscience.

However a moment later a hiss of pain whispered into Kenshin's ear and the glowing sphere sputtered and died. Kenshin nearly sighed in relief when Ryujin settled back down again. An angry growl followed the hiss and Kaoru's right arm suddenly tightened across his chest before she lifted her left hand so she could see the reason for the failure and revealed the red hand print Suzaku had left on her wrist at the manor.

"Suzaku blocked your use of fire." He replied to her unspoken question. "He and Ryujin are both afraid of that spell."

Kaoru's hand clenched into a white knuckled fist before it went limp and she sighed heavily. "Maybe it's better this way. At least I won't be tempted."

The remark prompted Kenshin to ask, "Tempted to do what?" He'd been wondering about that spell himself. Tomoe had all but begged Kaoru to use it against him when Ryujin had been in control.

Nothing but silence came in answer and Kenshin turned his head enough to catch the pained look she was giving him. That in itself was answer enough but after a moment she quietly admitted, "To use it against you. Tomoe taught it to me to… kill you… so Ryujin can't be freed."

Kenshin sighed softly as Kaoru's eyes began to water. He had expected as much when Suzaku had named Ryujin as the creature sharing his body. His hope that Tomoe would somehow free him from this nightmare had been weak but it still hurt to find it really was fruitless.

"I can't use it against you anyway." Kaoru muttered so softly he almost didn't hear it. With one hand she scrubbed at her eyes. "I won't kill you."

Kenshin smiled half heartedly, "You may have no choice."

Kaoru nailed him with a glare but before she could say anything another voice cut into their conversation.

"Ah, I see our little Ancient has finally awakened." Takeda said startling them both.

Kaoru's eyes flew wide and she swung her attention to the black mage and his companion who were now walking towards them.

"It's about time. I want to get this done before dark."

Kenshin released her legs and Kaoru slid off his back to stand on her own. Once she had landed on her feet he kept himself between her and the two advancing on them and slid her wakizashi from where he'd tucked it in his belt into her hand. He'd taken the blade from her while she'd been in his lap and hid it to keep the two mages from taking her last line of defense away.

Shaking fingers gripped the hilt and Kenshin heard cloth rustling as she put it away, hopefully somewhere they wouldn't see. In a matter of moments the pair had closed the distance and Kanryuu made to walk around him. Kaoru's free hand suddenly came up and a bolt of lightning shot out of her palm and slammed into the ground at Kanryuu's feet. "Stay away from me!"

Kanryuu snorted as a wide grin spread across Suzaku's lips.

"Your efforts are futile." The revived god purred. In the next instant Suzaku shot forward and Kenshin felt himself shoved out of the way before he could so much as tense. Stumbling a couple of steps he spun around ready to put himself between Kaoru and Suzaku again but found it was too late. The god was now standing toe to toe with her, both her wrists firmly griped in his hands.

"I admire your need to fight," The god admitted with a grin. "But it is useless."

Kaoru scowled blackly and Kenshin saw little flickers of electricity dance across her caged hands. Kanryuu strode past him and grabbed Kaoru's arm. "That will do nothing to either one of us. Remember, you are only an apprentice mage."

Kenshin's eyes narrowed dangerously and he took a step forward. Kanryuu nailed him with a glare and much to Kenshin's surprise dragged Kaoru over to him.

"Now that you're awake, you will save us the long walk to Ryujin's prison." The black mage said as he forced Kaoru to lay her hand on Kenshin's shoulder, "Teleport him."

Sudden understanding dawned on Kaoru's face and her eyes rounded in horror as she started fighting against his hold. "No! You can't make me!"

The smile that slid across Kanryuu's lips made Kaoru visibly pale and Kenshin desperately tried to think of some way to strike at the black mage to stop him. But before he could so much as move a finger Ryujin roused himself and Kenshin found himself locked in place, unable to move an inch.

"That's where you are wrong, little Ancient." The black mage murmured silkily as he forced her fingers to grip Kenshin's shoulder.

Kaoru's eyes widened even more and she continued to struggle for a moment longer before she went rigid and screamed, _"NO!"_

Kenshin's scar suddenly flared to life with blinding pain and before the last syllable of her refusal had even began to fade the world tilted on its side then with a gut wrenching twist, turned itself inside out. He clenched his teeth as the pain in his cheek spiked to an almost unbearable height.

However in the next instant the pain all but vanished as the world right itself again and Kenshin stumbled to his knees in a patch of knee high grass, his sight filled with the dancing shadows of swaying tree limbs in the late afternoon sunshine. Beside him Kaoru crumbled to the ground and curled into herself like she had the first time she'd teleported them. Immediately forgetting his own pain he reached out to her. She flinched away from his touch but he refused to give in and attempted to gather her into his arms.

Kanryuu however had other ideas. Kaoru was pulled from his grasp and hauled mercilessly to her feet. A glint of steel caught his attention out of the corner of his eye and before he could even fully register what he'd seen Kaoru was ripped from Kanryuu's hand and ruthlessly driven backwards into the smooth face of a large stone that dominated the north side of the glade. A shriek of pain tore from Kaoru's throat and his stomach clenched violently when he saw his very own katana pinning her to the weathered stone. The hilt quivering slightly from the force of the impact where it had impaled her right shoulder.

A resounding crack suddenly rocked the ground beneath his feet and a chest-rumbling roar sounded through the afternoon air, so loud that it seemed to echo off the trees surrounding them.

Kenshin ignored it all and was in front of Kaoru before either Takeda or Suzaku could so much as blink. Wrapping his hands firmly around the hilt, he braced one foot against the stone and using every last bit of strength he had, he wrenched the blade free. Kaoru's eyes flew wide and she gasped as she stumbled off the rock to crumble to her knees again. For the briefest of moments Kenshin found his attention trapped by the blood she had left behind, the vibrant red tracing the spider cracks the blade had created as everything suddenly became crystal clear.

Blood.

That was all they needed from her. Her blood to break the seal.

A sense of foreboding spilled through his veins as another roar which seemed far more real than the last rang through the glade, the ground beneath his feet shivering right along with it.

"Kaoru!" A familiar yet unexpected voice suddenly shouted over the roar.

And angry growl came from one of the men behind him and Kenshin spun around, shocked to see Akira and Hiko standing just within the tree line on the other side of the small glade. For a moment time seemed to stand still as Kenshin's eyes met his master's across the expanse and in that single moment Kenshin watched resignation darken their familiar depths before they slid to Kanryuu with a look of absolute hate.

"You're too late." Kanryuu sneered making time jump forward again. "The seal has been broken."

Kenshin stiffened but a small smile touched Akira's lips as Hiko loosened his blade. "No, it has been weakened, not broken. You will need more blood to destroy the seal completely."

"A trivial matter." Suzaku noted as he moved to reach for Kaoru again who at some point had risen and was now clutching her injured shoulder. But Kenshin was faster and his katana sang through the air and came to rest against the god's neck before Suzaku's fingers could even brush her shoulder.

"You will not touch her again."

Another angry roar shook the ground beneath his feet and Kenshin felt Ryujin suddenly rise up like a wave of energy and before he even realized what was happening the god wrested control from him and sent him spiraling into a black abyss. The darkness closing in made him panic and he attempted to fight back against the titanic presence now invading his body.

Suzaku smiling was the last thing Kenshin saw as Ryujin forced him all the way back, his words following him into the darkness. "I won't need to."

Kaoru watched in horror as Kenshin slipped away, the violet of his eyes fading under the golden hue she had come to hate. A reptilian pupil slid her way and the creature now inhabiting the red head smiled as he swung the katana towards her so fast that she barely had time to stumble back before it split the air where she had been a moment before. A strangled groan tore from her throat as she collided with the stone face of his weakened prison. This was bad. Ryujin was in this world more than he was trapped now.

Swallowing down the fear attempting to choke her she threw up her hands and with a whispered word blasted the advancing god with a gale force wind. Caught off guard Ryujin stumbled backwards into Suzaku.

A fireball the size of Kaoru's head suddenly sped towards Ryujin from the other side of the glade and the god was forced to jump further away from her. At that moment both Akira and Hiko moved in. Hiko zeroed in on Kanryuu with a look that said he would see the black mage dead before the sun fully set. And Akira placed himself between her and the two gods now rounding on them.

"Go back to the manor, Kaoru."

Forgetting that he couldn't see her, Kaoru shook her head. "It won't matter, the shield is gone."

Akira stiffened and the look he gave her over his shoulder prompted her to murmur reassuringly, "Kenshin said Tomoe-sama should be fine."

A look of relief softened his face then vanished a heartbeat later as Suzaku and Ryujin both moved in faster than either one of them thought possible. Akira just barely missed having his head taken off by the blade still in Kenshin's hand and dodged to the side only to have Suzaku follow him.

Leaving Kaoru alone and cornered against the stone prison facing the hated eyes in the face she loved. A nasty grin twisted Kenshin's handsome face and Ryujin drove the blade at her with such speed that it clipped her right shoulder as she ducked and dove away from the smooth stone, nearly colliding with Kanryuu as he stumbled back from Hiko's ruthless onslaught. The black mage was sending bolt after bolt of lightning at the swordsman as he advanced but each one was intercepted before it could ever make contact by a slightly glowing blade moving so fast that it could barely be seen. Fast enough that between each bolt Hiko was biting into Kanryuu himself.

Twisting away from their battle, she caught herself on the ground and cried out as twin shots of pain ripped through her shoulders. Tumbling into a roll she winced as each turn renewed the agony of her wounds until she finally came to rest at the edge of the glade. But less than a heartbeat later she was back on her feet before she could succumb to the pain and immediately regretted her quick recovery when a luminescent ball of pure energy suddenly slammed into her side throwing her into the trees.

Her breath left her in a great _whoosh_ as she crashed into the unforgiving ground and for a moment she laid there gasping for air until she finally had enough to push herself to her feet again. She nearly gave up when she saw Ryujin barely three feet from where she stood.

"Do not fight me." He growled in a strange guttural voice that still held touches of Kenshin's smooth timbre.

And that was enough to remind her that she couldn't give up. This wasn't completely Ryujin, Kenshin was still in there somewhere. But how was she suppose to do this with Ryujin now even more in this world? She'd never even figured out how to do it before!

In the blink of an eye Ryujin was beside her, his hand locking onto her arm with a bone crushing grip that soon began to burn as the hand began to glow. Kaoru went rigid and let out an ear piercing scream as white hot fire lanced along every nerve in her body. A heartbeat later she went limp as the fire faded away and Ryujin started dragging her unresisting body back into the glade towards the prison.

Still physically stunned from the attack, Kaoru could do nothing but stumble after him as he hauled her across the uneven ground. Absently she noted that Akira wasn't having any better luck against Suzaku. Even in her numbed state she could see the blood and burns dotting several areas of his body; his clothes torn and blackened. He was on his feet but Kaoru could tell it was taking all he had to stay that way.

All thoughts of Akira flew out of her mind as she was thrown at the dull grey wall of the prison. Her foot caught on something on the ground and she stumbled face first into the solid stone. With a groan of pain she managed to catch herself before she hit and glanced to the ground to see what she'd tripped on.

A human skull, bleached white from years of exposure, lay half buried in the knee high grass, it's empty eyes seeming to stare straight at her. Kaoru's stomach flipped and she used what strength she had to spin around and without thinking slammed her back against the wall.

And that seemed to be all Ryujin had been waiting for because in the next instant the glint of steel caught Kaoru's attention and before she could even think to move the katana she'd forgotten he had came flying towards her with frightening speed.

At that moment Kaoru saw her death in his reptilian eyes and knew they had lost.

But what she didn't expect was the flash of violet that suddenly shot through the eyes staring her down and the blade shifted to the right to knick her on the side of her neck instead of embedding in her throat where it had originally been aiming. Stunned Kaoru instinctively flinched away from the chips of stone that sprayed the side of her face.

It only took her a second to gather her wits again and she dove away from the embedded blade. Once deeming herself far enough away she spun around and glanced quickly to the god desperately hoping she'd find Kenshin back in control again. But it wasn't to be and she stumbled back even more when she met the fierce golden eyes glaring at her. With a howl of rage Ryujin wrenched the blade free of the stone and before she could so much as gasp locked a hand around her upper arm again.

Kaoru felt her feet lifted off the ground and without thinking she slammed earth enhanced fists into the redhead's chest. The sound of cracking bones filled her ears as the hand holding her suddenly let go and she watched in horror as blood sprayed from Kenshin's mouth.

Oh gods, she hadn't meant to do that! Not to him!

Ryujin stumbled back from the unexpected attack and Kaoru felt a small measure of relief that Kenshin wasn't in possession at the moment. But too much damage to his body would kill him if he returned and that scared her half to death.

Kaoru stilled. Not if… when. She couldn't give up on him yet.

The red head's face twisted with pure hatred and Ryujin rushed at her only to freeze after two steps and a moment later Kaoru understood why. Across the glade behind him a large area began to shimmer at the edge of the tree line before it coalesced into two women she hadn't even dared hope would come.

Tomoe and Megumi both stumbled forward once they materialized, showing their weariness, but Tomoe quickly recovered and, taking in the entire scene in one glance, zeroed in on her husband and shouted, "Akira!"

Akira danced away from Suzaku who was poised to strike and glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Tomoe toss a blade at him. One that Kaoru recognized as a blade her family had forged centuries ago.

A surge of hope spilled through her veins as Akira picked the blade out of the air and spun around, impaling the god before he could let loose the killing strike filling his hands. Time seemed to stand still as small drops of blood dripped from the tip of the blade and Kaoru held her breath wondering if it was really going to work.

A howl of pain suddenly shredded the silence as Suzaku expanded beyond the confines of the body housing him, twisting savagely as if he was trying to tear himself off the blade. With one last otherworldly shriek he exploded with an ear shattering detonation, the concussion of it hitting Kaoru directly in the chest. She cried out as she backpedaled to keep her balance, the soul searing pain suddenly ripping through her left wrist bringing tears to her eyes.

Wrenching the injured arm into her line of sight she half expected to see it on fire. Instead she found the brand Suzaku had burned onto her arm, the one to seal her use of fire, fading away along with the pain. An icy chill swept through her body as realization hit her like a fist. She was free.

Another shriek of rage snapped Kaoru out of her stunned reverie and Ryujin shot towards her with the katana raised again, clearly intent on impaling her as his brother had just been. Pure instinct called a fireball to her fingers but she held it tight, refusing to attack the god's borrowed body again and dove to the side to avoid the strike.

Dousing her flame filled hand, she spun around to face him again just in time to see the blade arcing through the air in a sweep that would split her right down the middle. Her eyes widened in terror and she took a single step back as her right hand wrapped around the hilt of her wakizashi and with one fluid motion she unsheathed the blade and swung her arm up to block his strike with her steel protected forearm.

Kaoru's knees buckled at the shock of the blow, a groan escaping her clenched teeth as he pressed his full weight against the connected blades. She glared into the blazing gold eyes begging for her death and held as steady as she could. She couldn't let him get that thing anywhere near her or it was all over.

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the bright blue glow enveloping her wakizashi and she slid her eyes back to Kenshin. She was somewhat surprised to see blood beginning to pool along the scale encrusted flesh of his cheek, until she remembered that she had seen this very same thing happen before when she'd awoken at the Akabeko what seemed like forever ago.

Something tugged at her memory as she stared at the scales covering his left cheek, the red of his blood stark against the shimmering blue. But whatever it was vanished in the next instant when Ryujin suddenly pitched forward so violently that Kaoru lost her footing and tumbled backwards into his stone faced prison. An angry snarl tore from Ryujin's throat and he spun around as two more fireballs sped towards him. It was then Kaoru noticed the heavy damage to Kenshin's back.

Sudden understanding made her blood run cold. They were trying to kill him! But they weren't touching Ryujin and Tomoe knew it! They couldn't, only she could! If they damaged Kenshin's body too bad he would die when he gained control again!

Sickening panic thrummed through her veins and she was just about to shout at them to stop when she felt all the elements rise up as if she'd called them herself and blend together to make the hated weave she had all but forgotten burst to life in her left hand.

Stunned Kaoru stared at it for a moment wondering how it could possibly happen and then Megumi's voice seemed to whisper directly in her ear.

"There is no other way, Kaoru. Do it now while we have him occupied."

Her hand moved of its own accord and Kaoru stared at it horrified as she fought to keep the spell from leaving her fingers. It was then she felt the small tendrils of power invading her mind and realized that Megumi was doing the exact same thing to her that Kanryuu had done when he'd forced her to bring Kenshin here.

Rage like nothing she had ever felt before roared to life in her veins and she screamed, "No!"

Desperately trying to douse the spell, she nailed the three standing on the other side of the glade with a hate filled glare. She softened slightly when she saw Tomoe on her knees with her head bowed as if she was completely drained until she realized that she had felt this very same invasion back at the manor and the voice had been Tomoe's not Megumi's.

Her anger flared to new heights at both of their betrayals and with a vicious growl she shouted, "You cannot make me do this!"

As if sensing the threat Ryujin spun around and Kaoru took a step back as her eyes fell on the blue scaled cheek again. In that moment it finally dawned on her what had been tugging at her memory.

The mage forged blades wouldn't kill Ryujin but they would separate his essence from his body.

For a split second her eyes dropped to the wakizashi in her right hand and then back to the scale encrusted scar.

His essence… from… his body. It wasn't his body yet but… a piece of him was in there. The piece that had to be removed for Kenshin to survive. Kaoru's breath caught in her throat as a knee weakening surge of hope suddenly spilled through her veins and she barely noticed the shower of sparks rain down all around them from the fireballs Akira and Megumi were launching at Ryujin.

The god's face darkened with unbridled hate at the continued attacks but instead of turning on the ones attacking him Ryujin roared and flew forward with her death clearly written in his reptilian eyes.

The hand containing the weave moved against her will and Kaoru used every last bit of strength she had to keep the ball from being released and flipped the wakizashi so the dull edge was flush against her forearm again, waiting for him to come within striking distance. Her injured shoulder ached from the pressure she was putting on the hilt but she ignored it and braced herself for the hit she could see coming. Ryujin had the katana held low as if he intended to slice her from hip to hip.

At the last minute Kaoru spun to the right in an attempt to lessen the damage he would inflict and brought her wakizashi up, ready to strike. She cried out as the katana bit deep into her hip and she continued to spin away to keep him from actually slicing her in half and aimed her own attack at his bleeding cheek. The blade blazed to life as it neared and Kaoru drove her arm forward until the edge of the wakizashi connected with his cheek just above his jaw. With a silent prayer to the gods that this would work, she pressed hard enough to cut into the scales and sliced upwards intersecting his original scar almost dead center where she was sure the piece of Ryujin must be.

A howl of rage and agony unlike anything she'd ever heard before exploded from Kenshin's throat and Ryujin flew back away from her as a small piece of glittering blue erupted from his cheek. Kaoru screamed as the blade in his hand was wrenched out of her side. Crumbling against the stone prison she slid down to sit hard on the ground, the blood flowing to quickly soak the ground at the base of the prison.

With an exhausted sigh, she glanced to Kenshin who had collapsed in a heap several yards away before turning her weakening attention to unraveling the hated weave. But before she could even begin to reverse the blending of elements the ground shuddered violently and then the stone at her back suddenly split down the middle right behind her, showering her with tiny shards of razor sharp shrapnel.

Ducking away from the worst of the shards she froze when a roar of triumph shrieked into the glade from above her head a moment before a giant blue stream of glittering essence erupted from the opened prison. Kaoru watched in horror as it zeroed in on Kenshin and without so much as another thought she thrust the hand still containing the weave up into the flowing river that was Ryujin.

Searing pain ripped down her arm and she screamed even as she released the weave. As soon as the spell left her fingers she wrenched her arm out of the essence, fully expecting to see it flayed to the bone but instead she found angry red, blistering skin as if she'd thrust it into a raging inferno. Cradling it gently against her chest she hoped and prayed it wasn't for nothing.

A split second later another shriek rang out so loud that Kaoru had to slap her hands over her ears despite her burns and she nearly jumped out of her skin when the shimmering river above her head suddenly contracted into a giant ball in the middle of the glade with her weave locked in the middle. With a chest shaking thump it exploded in a brilliant white light; every single shred of the god vaporizing in that one instant.

Stunned Kaoru simply stared at the fading light. It worked… it had really worked!

A moment later Kaoru stiffened and she quickly dropped her eyes to Kenshin and nearly cried in relief when she saw him shakily pushing himself into a sitting position, his violet eyes blinking owlishly as if he'd just woken up. She was on her feet and across the space separating them before she even realized she had moved and, completely forgetting about her own severe injuries, dropped to her knees and flung her arms around him as tears spilled from her eyes.

"Thank kami…" was all she could manage to say, holding him as tight as her injured arms would let her. That had been close… too close.

A heartbeat later Kenshin's arms encircled her just as tightly and she gasped when his enthusiastic hug pulled at her wounded hip. He immediately released her and held her at arm's length. Kaoru tried to smile as violet eyes inspected every inch visible but found she couldn't when a sudden feeling of heaviness sapped her remaining energy and she leaned against his hands exhausted, her adrenaline depleted. She was so tired…

"_Megumi!"_

Kaoru slowly blinked open eyes that she hadn't realized had closed and looked at Kenshin wondering why he sounded so frantic. But for some reason she couldn't focus on his face and after a moment she finally gave up. Now that she knew he was alive and safe she could slip into the comforting darkness without worry.

She would see him again soon.

* * *

Early morning sunshine was just beginning to warm Kenshin's back when he turned onto the familiar dirt track leading to the Yukishiro manor. His pace picked up slightly in anticipation. It had been over a week since the day Kaoru had collapsed half dead in his arms and he was getting a little antsy not seeing her for so long. Tomoe had sent Besshi with a note three days ago assuring him that she was recovering quickly but Kenshin wanted to see for himself.

He couldn't remember much of what Ryujin had done to her while the god had been in control, but he'd seen the injuries when Megumi had healed what she could right there in the glade before she and Tomoe whisked her off to the manor to complete the healing. It made him sick to think that his own hands had done that to her. He wouldn't even carry the katana anymore, he had commissioned a new blade when he'd stopped in Kiyosu that was supposed to be done in a month. One that had the edge on the inward curve, not outward. The sword smith had been skeptical at first, sakabatous were unheard of but he had insisted and the aged man had finally given in, calling it a challenge.

A faint smile curled the edge of his lips. He could only guess what his master would say when he saw his new choice of weapon. Hiko would most likely scoff at the thought of a blade that couldn't kill, at least not easily. But it was something he felt he had to do. Kaoru had almost died by his blade, he would never let that happen again. The possibility was slim with Suzaku and Ryujin's destruction and Kanryuu's death at Hiko's hands but he didn't want to take the chance it could somehow happen again.

A tiny twinge of pain in his chest pulled him from his thoughts and he rubbed his bandaged ribs lightly, reminded that he wasn't fully healed himself. Against his wishes Megumi had done what she could before she'd left with Kaoru and the rest had been left up to a helpful elderly woman that lived on a small farm two miles south of the cursed wood. Akira and Hiko had taken him there pleading for help once Tomoe and Megumi had left with Kaoru. The kindly matron had quickly taken him in, doing what she could for his ribs and burns.

Assured that he was in good hands, Akira and Hiko had left early the next morning, one for the manor and the other back to Jouden to assist in the rebuild after Kanryuu's attack. He himself had itched at his own delay but had accepted the need. He'd only allow himself to stay two days though before he too had been on the road to the manor.

And now he was less than a mile away from setting his mind at ease.

The thought was enough to make him smile and he felt the freshly healed skin of his left cheek stretch slightly. Lifting a hand to his scarred cheek he wondered again about the strangest of his wounds that had healed virtually overnight. The scales that had once covered his entire cheek had surprising fallen away as they made their way to the farm, and the cut that had ended it all had scabbed over for all of one day before it too fell away to revel freshly healed, yet scarred flesh. He'd been able to see it once in the small mirror the kindly matron had let him borrow. The single line that had run down his face his entire life was now intersected by another running from just below his cheek bone to just above his jaw creating an X on his left cheek.

Rounding a bend in the track, thoughts of his scar quickly faded when he saw the manor sitting quietly in the rising sun. His pace picked up a little more at the sight. He had to admit that it was little odd to come around that corner and not see the mountain he had known for so long. A part of him was glad that the shield was gone though because now there was nothing that could permanently separate him from Kaoru.

He eyed the marks Ryujin's attack had left on the slate grey walls as he neared and wondered how it had withstood such abuse. Most places, even those made of stone, would have crumbled under their attack and yet these walls had remained standing.

A handful of strides later Kenshin stepped through the shattered gate and the question flew out of his head when he caught sight of the dark-haired young woman sitting with Ayame on a set of steps off to his right.

"Ken-nii!" The little girl exclaimed excitedly as she bounced to her feet and sprinted towards him.

Kaoru's head snapped around at Ayame's shout and Kenshin smiled as she too jumped to her feet and started towards him. Her advance was far slower though and Kenshin sensed a hesitance in her approach. A small sliver of fear curled in his belly. She didn't hate him did she?

Ayame's arrival grabbed his attention and he caught her as she launched herself into his arms. "Kaoru-neesan said you might be here today! I can't believe she was right!"

Kenshin smiled and was just about to turn his eyes to where Kaoru was steadily closing the distance when Ayame suddenly patted his cheek, "You have another line on your face!" And without missing a beat she put herself in his line of sight and asked, "Why?"

Kenshin grinned at her innocent curiosity and glanced to Kaoru who had finally reached them. "Because Kaoru-neesan refused to give up on me," he replied smoothly.

Ayame gave him an odd look and he had a feeling she didn't really understand. But before he could explain she wiggled out of his arms and dropped to the ground. "I don't get it but I'm gonna go tell Tomoe-sama you really came!"

And with that she spun around and took off for the newly made door. Kenshin watched her go for a moment before he turned his eyes on the one he had truly come to see. Kaoru stood a couple of feet away from him with a small smile on her face, all evidence of the horrible battle she'd been through gone from her pale skin.

Her smile widened slightly when their eyes met and she said, "When I told her you might be here today she made me come out and wait with her. I was afraid I was going to have to sit out here all day."

Kenshin's earlier worry evaporated under that smile and he took a step towards her. "How did you know?"

Kaoru shrugged as a faint blush dusted her cheeks. "I don't know. I just kind of knew you were near. So… um… would you like to come in and have some breakfast? I don't think it's cleaned up yet." And then before he could answer she threw up her hands and hurriedly added. "Not that I mean you have to stay or anything if you have somewhere else to go."

Kenshin smiled at her babbling and decided to set her completely at ease. Closing the distance between them in two strides he gently cradled her cheeks with his hands and kissed her soundly. Kaoru gasped softly and froze for a split second before she melted into him as if she had been waiting for this as long as he had.

Relishing the feel of her soft lips beneath his he trailed his thumb across her cheek and inwardly smiled when she shivered and slipped her arms around him. A moment later he reluctantly broke the kiss and leaned back enough to meet her glittering sapphire eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere without you again. I hope you don't mind."

The bright smile Kaoru gave him in answer was all he needed. She still wanted him even after everything she had been through because of him. And he had no intention of letting her get away no matter what anyone said.

Not now or ever.

The End

* * *

And so ends my eighth… and final offering to the Rurouni Kenshin fandom. I want to thank all of you who have read and reviewed, or even just read. Your continued support has made it possible for me to pursue my lifelong dream to write over these past seven years. But now that I have a total of eleven fanfictions under my belt, I am going to step out of the writing world for a while and just enjoy the many other hobbies I have. I may one day come back with another RK fiction but as of right now I don't really have any ideas for this fandom. I do however wish to pursue this story as an original which I may do sometime down the line.

Again thanks to all of you who have taken the time read this fanfiction. I really did have an awesome time writing this one.

Also if you didn't check out the artwork, do so now. I promise you won't regret it. XD

And last but not least, please review and let me know what you think of this story.


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